Editing York (section)

===Early history===
[[File:Roman Fortifications in Museum Gardens York.jpg|thumb|Roman wall and the west corner tower of [[Eboracum]]. The top half is medieval.|200x200px]]

Archaeological evidence suggests that [[Mesolithic]] people settled in the region of York between 8000 and 7000&nbsp;BC, although it is not known whether their settlements were permanent or temporary. By the time of the [[Roman conquest of Britain]], the area was occupied by a [[tribe]] known to the Romans as the [[Brigantes]]. The Brigantian tribal area initially became a Roman client state, but later its leaders became more hostile and the Roman [[Legio IX Hispana|Ninth Legion]] was sent north of the [[Humber]] into Brigantian territory.<ref name="Willis26">{{cite book|last=Willis|first=Ronald|year=1988|title=The illustrated portrait of York|edition=4th|publisher=Robert Hale Limited|isbn=0-7090-3468-7|pages=26–27}}</ref>

The city was founded in AD&nbsp;71, when the Ninth Legion conquered the Brigantes and constructed a wooden military [[castra|fortress]] on flat ground above the [[River Ouse, Yorkshire|River Ouse]] close to its [[confluence]] with the [[River Foss]]. The fortress, whose walls were rebuilt in stone by the VI legion based there subsequent to the IX legion, covered an area of {{convert|50|acre|ha}} and was inhabited by 6,000 [[Roman legion|legion]]ary soldiers. The site of the ''principia'' (headquarters) of the fortress lies under the foundations of [[York Minster]], and excavations in the undercroft have revealed part of the Roman structure and columns.<ref name="coyyh"/><ref name="ytss-2"/>

[[File:Constantine York.jpg|thumb|[[Statue of Constantine the Great, York|Roman Emperor Constantine the Great proclaimed Emperor at York in 306&nbsp;AD]].|200x200px]]

The Roman emperors [[Hadrian]], [[Septimius Severus]] and [[Constantius I]] all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay between AD 207 and 211 the emperor Severus proclaimed York capital of the province of Britannia Inferior, and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a '[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]' or city. Constantius I died in AD&nbsp;306 during his stay in York, and his son [[Constantine the Great]] was proclaimed emperor by the troops based in the fortress.<ref name="ytss-2">{{cite book|last1=Shannon|first1=John|last2=Tilbrook|first2=Richard|title=York – the second city|publisher=Jarrold Publishing|year=1990|isbn=0-7117-0507-0|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Lower (Britannia Inferior) and Upper Britain (Britannia Superior)|url=http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/Classics/roman_provinces/britain/image21.htm|publisher=Vanderbilt University|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302180601/http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/Classics/roman_provinces/britain/image21.htm|archive-date=2 March 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> In AD&nbsp;314 a bishop from York attended the [[Synod of Arles (314)|Council at Arles]] to represent Christians from the [[Roman province|province]].<ref>{{cite book|section=Before the Norman Conquest|title=A History of the County of York: the City of York|editor-first=P. M. |editor-last=Tillott |year=1961|pages=2–24|via=British History Online|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/city-of-york/pp2-24|access-date=19 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419023839/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/city-of-york/pp2-24|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

While the Roman ''colonia'' and [[castra|fortress]] were on high ground, by AD&nbsp;400 the town was victim to occasional flooding from the rivers Ouse and Foss, and the population reduced.<ref>{{cite book|last=Russo|first=Daniel G.|year=1998|title=Town Origins and Development in Early England, c. 400–950 A.D.|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|publication-date=1998|pages=119–120|isbn=978-0-313-30079-0}}</ref> York declined in the [[sub-Roman Britain|post-Roman]] era, and was taken and settled by the [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]] in the 5th century.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Barri|last2=Mattingly|first2=David|year=1990|title=An Atlas of Roman Britain|publisher=Blackwell Publishers|publication-date=2007|location=Cambridge|page=317|isbn=978-1-84217-067-0}} Cemeteries that are identifiably Anglian date from this period; some graves are within the Roman cemetery on The Mount.</ref>

Reclamation of parts of the town was initiated in the 7th century under [[Edwin of Northumbria|King Edwin]] of [[Northumbria]], and York became his chief city.<ref>{{cite web|title=York history timeline|url=http://www.yorkhistory.com/timeline/index.php|publisher=YorkHistory.com|year=2007|access-date=4 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314135055/http://www.yorkhistory.com/timeline/index.php|archive-date=14 March 2007}}</ref> The first wooden [[minster (church)|minster church]] was built in York for the baptism of Edwin in 627, according to the Venerable Bede.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/anglian-york/the-first-minster |title=The First Minster: History of York |publisher=York Museums Trust |work=History of York |access-date=18 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004123310/http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/anglian-york/the-first-minster |archive-date=4 October 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Edwin ordered the small wooden church be rebuilt in stone; however, he was killed in 633, and the task of completing the stone minster fell to his successor [[Oswald of Northumbria|Oswald]].<ref name="coyyh"/><ref name="ymhist"/> In the following century, [[Alcuin of York]] came to the cathedral school of York. He had a long career as a teacher and scholar, first at the school at York now known as [[St Peter's School, York|St Peter's School]], founded in AD&nbsp;627, and later as [[Charlemagne]]'s leading advisor on ecclesiastical and educational affairs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/alcuin_01.shtml |title=Alcuin of York |last=Ritchie |first=Anna |date=1 July 2001 |publisher=BBC |access-date=18 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831084537/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/alcuin_01.shtml |archive-date=31 August 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 866 Northumbria was in the midst of internecine struggles when the [[Vikings]] raided and captured York. As a thriving Anglo-Saxon metropolis and prosperous economic hub, York was a clear target for the Vikings. Led by [[Ivar the Boneless]] and [[Halfdan Ragnarsson|Halfdan]], Scandinavian forces attacked the town on All Saints' Day. Launching the assault on a holy day proved an effective tactical move – most of York's leaders were in the cathedral, leaving the town vulnerable to attack and unprepared for battle.

After it was conquered, the city was renamed from the Old English Eoforwic to [[Jorvik]]. It became the capital of Viking territory in Britain, and at its peak boasted more than 10,000 inhabitants. This was a population second only to London within Great Britain. Jorvik proved an important economic and trade centre for the Vikings. Norse coinage was created at the Jorvik mint, while archaeologists have found evidence of a variety of craft workshops around the town's central [[Coppergate]] area. These demonstrate that textile production, metalwork, carving, glasswork and jewellery-making were all practised in Jorvik. Materials from as far afield as the [[Persian Gulf]] have also been discovered, suggesting that the town was part of an international trading network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historyextra.com/period/anglo-saxon/key-viking-dates-lindisfarne-raid-danelaw-swein-forkbeard-harald-hardrada-stamford-bridge/|title=From the raid on Lindisfarne to Harald Hardrada's defeat: 8 Viking dates you need to know|access-date=16 June 2020|work=History Extra|publisher=BBC|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616222141/https://www.historyextra.com/period/anglo-saxon/key-viking-dates-lindisfarne-raid-danelaw-swein-forkbeard-harald-hardrada-stamford-bridge/|url-status=live}}</ref> Under Viking rule the city became a major river port, part of the extensive Viking trading routes throughout northern Europe.
The last ruler of an independent Jórvík, [[Eric Bloodaxe]], was driven from the city in AD&nbsp;954 by King [[Eadred]] in his successful attempt to complete the unification of England.<ref name="coyyjv">{{cite web|title=Jorvik: Viking York|publisher=City of York Council|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/leisure/Local_history_and_heritage/yorks_history/03_jorvik/|date=20 December 2006|access-date=5 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913081501/http://www.york.gov.uk/leisure/Local_history_and_heritage/yorks_history/03_jorvik/|archive-date=13 September 2007}}</ref>