Editing History of Denmark (section)

===Viking Age===
{{Main|Viking Age}}
[[File:Administrative division of denmark in medieval times.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The extent of the Danish Realm before the expansion of the Viking Age. It is not known when, but the tribal Danes divided the realm into "[[herred]]er" (marked by red lines).]]
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = Kongeriget Danmark<br />{{small|i middelalderen}}
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Denmark<br />{{small|in the Middle Ages}}
| common_name            = Denmark
| status                 = Kingdom
| status_text            = Part of the [[North Sea Empire]] {{nowrap|{{small|(1013–1035)}}}}<br />Independent state until 1397
| life_span              =8th century/ 936–1397
| event_start            = Formed
| year_start             = 8th century
| date_start             = 
| year_end               = 1397
| date_end               = June 17
| event_end              = Incorporated into the [[Kalmar Union]]
| image_map              = Harald bluetooth.PNG
| image_map_caption      = [[Harald Bluetooth|Harald's]] realm (red) with vassals and allies (yellow).
| capital                = [[Lejre]] in [[Zealand]]<br />[[Jellinge]] {{small|(until {{nowrap|10th cent.)}}}}<br />[[Roskilde]] {{small|(since {{nowrap|10th cent.)}}}}
| stat_area1             = 
| leader1                = 
| year_leader1           = 
| leader2                = 
| year_leader2           = 
| religion               = {{plainlist|
* [[Norse religion|Norse paganism]] <br />{{small|(state before 960)}}
* [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] <br />{{small|(state after 960)}}
{{nowrap|{{small|'''Other and non-Danish:'''}}}}
* ''[[History of atheism#Europe|goðlauss]]'' {{small|(lack of faith in any deity)}}
* [[Estonian mythology|Estonian paganism]] {{small|([[Duchy of Estonia (1219–1346)|Danish Estonia]])}}}}
| common_languages       = [[Old Danish]], [[Latin]], {{nowrap|[[Estonian language|Estonian]] {{small|([[Duchy of Estonia (1219–1346)|Danish Estonia]])}}}}
| category               = 
| area_km2               = 
| area_rank              = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| HDI                    = 
| HDI_year               = 
}}
With the beginning of the Viking Age in the 9th century, the prehistoric period in Denmark ends. The Danish people were among those known as [[Viking]]s, during the 8th–11th centuries. Viking explorers first discovered and settled in [[Iceland]] in the 9th century, on their way from the [[Faroe Islands]]. From there, [[Greenland]] and [[Vinland]] (probably [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]) were also settled. Utilizing their great skills in shipbuilding and navigation they raided and conquered parts of [[France]] and the [[British Isles]].

[[File:Ladbyskibet.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The [[Ladby ship]], the largest ship burial found in Denmark.]]
[[File:Aros viking town.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The fortified Viking town of [[Aarhus|Aros]] ([[Aarhus]]), 950 AD.]]
They also excelled in trading along the coasts and rivers of Europe, running trade routes from Greenland in the north to [[Constantinople]] in the south via [[Russia]]n and [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] rivers, most notably along the River [[Dnieper]] and via Kiev, then being the capital of [[Kiev Rus]], which was founded by Viking conquerors.{{efn|"The controversies over the nature of the Rus and the origins of the Russian state have bedevilled Viking studies, and indeed Russian history, for well over a century. It is historically certain that the Rus were Swedes. The evidence is incontrovertible, and that a debate still lingers at some levels of historical writing is clear evidence of the holding power of received notions. The debate over this issue – futile, embittered, tendentious, doctrinaire – served to obscure the most serious and genuine historical problem which remains: the assimilation of these Viking Rus into the Slavic people among whom they lived. The principal historical question is not whether the Rus were Scandinavians or Slavs, but, rather, how quickly these Scandinavian Rus became absorbed into Slavic life and culture."{{sfn|Logan|2005|p=184}}}} The Danish Vikings were most active in Britain, [[Ireland]], [[France]], [[Spain]], Portugal and Italy where they raided, conquered and settled (their earliest settlements included sites in the [[Danelaw]], [[Ireland]] and [[Normandy]]). The Danelaw encompassed the Northeastern half of what now constitutes [[England]], where Danes settled and Danish law and rule prevailed. Prior to this time, England consisted of approximately seven independent [[Anglo-Saxon]] kingdoms. The Danes conquered (terminated) all of these except for the kingdom of [[Wessex]]. [[Alfred the Great]], king of Wessex, emerged from these trials as the sole remaining English king, and thereby as the first English [[Monarch]].

In the early 9th century, [[Charlemagne]]'s Christian empire had expanded to the southern border of the Danes, and Frankish sources (e.g. [[Notker the Stammerer|Notker of St Gall]]) provide the earliest historical evidence of the Danes. These report a King [[Gudfred]], who appeared in present-day [[Holstein]] with a navy in 804 where diplomacy took place with the [[Franks]]; In 808, King Gudfred attacked the [[Obotrites]] and conquered the city of [[Reric]] whose population was displaced or abducted to [[Hedeby]]. In 809, King Godfred and emissaries of Charlemagne failed to negotiate peace, despite the sister of Godfred being a concubine of Charlemagne, and the next year King Godfred attacked the [[Frisians]] with 200 ships.

Viking raids along the coast of France and the Netherlands were large-scale. Paris was besieged and the Loire Valley devastated during the 10th century. One group of Danes was granted permission to settle in northwestern France under the condition that they defend the place from future attacks. As a result, the region became known as "Normandy" and it was the descendants of these settlers who conquered England in 1066.

The oldest parts of the defensive works of Danevirke near [[Hedeby]] at least date from the summer of 755 and were expanded with large works in the 10th century. The size and number of troops needed to man it indicates a quite powerful ruler in the area, which might be consistent with the kings of the Frankish sources. In 815 AD, Emperor [[Louis the Pious]] attacked Jutland apparently in support of a contender to the throne, perhaps [[Harald Klak]], but was turned back by the sons of Godfred, who most likely were the sons of the above-mentioned Godfred. At the same time [[Ansgar|St. Ansgar]] travelled to Hedeby and started the Catholic [[Christianisation of Scandinavia]].

[[Gorm the Old]] was the first [[historical]]ly recognized [[Monarchy of Denmark|ruler of Denmark]], reigning from {{circa| 936}} to his death {{circa| 958}}.<ref name="kongehuset">{{cite web |url= http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/The-Royal-Lineage/the-royal-lineage |title= The Royal Lineage – The Danish Monarchy |website= kongehuset.dk |access-date= 15 May 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150706134401/http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/The-Royal-Lineage/the-royal-lineage |archive-date= 6 July 2015 }}</ref> He ruled from [[Jelling]], and made the oldest of the [[Jelling Stones]] in honour of his wife [[Thyra]]. Gorm was born before 900 and died {{circa| 958}}. His rule marks the start of the Danish monarchy and royal house (see [[Danish monarchs' family tree#House of Gorm|Danish monarchs' family tree]]).<ref name="kongehuset"/>

The Danes were united and officially Christianized in 965 AD by Gorm's son [[Harald Bluetooth]] (see below), the story of which is recorded on the [[Jelling stones]]. The extent of Harald's Danish Kingdom is unknown, although it is reasonable to believe that it stretched from the defensive line of Dannevirke, including the Viking city of Hedeby, across Jutland, the Danish isles and into southern present day [[Sweden]]; [[Scania]] and perhaps [[Halland]] and [[Blekinge]]. Furthermore, the Jelling stones attest that Harald had also "won" [[Norway]].<ref name="Britannica Online Encyclopedia">Staff. [https://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-516876/Saint-Brices-Day-massacre Saint Brices Day massacre], [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]. Retrieved 26 December 2007.</ref>

In retaliation for the [[St. Brice's Day massacre]] of Danes in England, the son of Harald, [[Sweyn Forkbeard]] mounted a series of wars of conquest against England. By 1014, England had completely submitted to the Danes. However, distance and a lack of common interests prevented a lasting union, and Sweyn's son [[Cnut the Great]] barely maintained the link between the two countries, which completely broke up during the reign of his son [[Hardecanute]]. A final attempt by the Norwegians under [[Harald Hardrada]] to reconquer England failed, but did pave the way for William the Conqueror's takeover in 1066.<ref name="Britannica Online Encyclopedia"/>