Editing 9th century (section)

==Western Europe==

=== Britain and Ireland ===
[[Britain in the Middle Ages|Britain]] experienced a great influx of [[Viking]] peoples in the 9th century as the [[Viking Age]] continued from the previous century. The kingdoms of the [[Heptarchy]] were gradually conquered by the Danes, who set up Anglo-Saxon puppet rulers in each kingdom. This invasion was achieved by a huge military force known as the [[Great Heathen Army]], which was supposedly led by [[Ivar the Boneless]], [[Halfdan Ragnarsson]], and [[Guthrum]]. This Danish army first arrived in Britain in [[865]] in [[Kingdom of East Anglia|East Anglia]]. After conquering that kingdom, the army proceeded to capture the city of [[York]] ([[Jorvik]]) and establish the kingdom of [[Jorvik]]. The Danes went on to subjugate the kingdom of [[Northumbria]] and to take all but the western portion of [[Mercia]]. The remaining kingdom of [[Wessex]] was the only kingdom of the [[Heptarchy]] left. [[Alfred the Great]] managed to maintain his kingdom of [[Wessex]] and push back the Viking incursions, relieving the neighbouring kingdoms from the threat of the Danes following his famous victory over them at the [[Battle of Ethandun]] in [[878]]. Alfred re-established [[Anglo-Saxon]] rule over the western half of [[Mercia]], and the [[Danelaw]] was established which separated [[Mercia]] into halves, the eastern half remaining under the control of the Danes.

[[Ireland]] was also affected by the Viking expansion across the [[North Sea]]. Extensive raids were carried out all along the coast and eventually, permanent settlements were established, such as that of [[Dublin]] in [[841]]. Particular targets for these raids were the monasteries on the western coast of Ireland, as they provided a rich source for loot. On such raids the [[Vikings]] set up impermanent camps, which were called [[longphorts]] by the Irish—this period of Viking raids on the coasts of Ireland has been named the longphort phase after these types of settlements. Ireland in the 9th century was organised into an amalgam of small kingdoms, called [[tuatha]]. These kingdoms were sometimes grouped together and ruled by a single, provincial ruler. If such a ruler could establish and maintain authority over a portion of these tuatha, he was sometimes granted the title of [[High King of Ireland|High King]].

[[Scotland]] also experienced significant Viking incursions during the 9th century. The Vikings established themselves in coastal regions, usually in northern Scotland, and in the northern islands such as [[Orkney]] and [[Shetland]]. The Viking invasion and settlement in Scotland provided a contributing factor in the collapse of the kingdoms of the [[Picts]], who inhabited most of Scotland at the time. Not only were the Pictish realms either destroyed or severely weakened, the Viking invasion and settlements may have been the reason for the movement of [[Kenneth MacAlpin]], the king of [[Dál Riata]] at that time. The kingdom of [[Dál Riata]] was located on the western coast of Scotland, and Viking incursions destroyed it after the death of its previous king, [[Áed mac Boanta]] in 839, according to the [[Annals of Ulster]]. This may have caused the new king, MacAlpin, to move to the east, and conquer the remnants of the Pictish realms. MacAlpin became king of the Picts in 843 and later kings would be titled as the [[King of Alba]] or [[King of Scots]].

=== Art ===
Art in the 9th century was primarily dedicated to the Gospel and employed as basic tools of liturgy of the Roman Orthodox Church. Thousands of golden art objects were made: Sacred cups, vessels, reliquaries, crucifixes, rosaries, altarpieces, and statues of the Virgin and Child or Saints all kept the flame of western art from dying out. Architecture began to revive to some extent in the West by the 9th century, taking the form of Church facilities of all kinds, and the first castle fortifications since Roman times began to take form in simple "moat and bailey" castles, or simple "strong point" tower structures, with little refinement.