The late 800s and 900s were a frightening time in Western Europe. Not only were the Vikings on the move, but the continent faced invasion by other forces from the south and east. The Muslims had already conquered Spain, and in the 800s they began menacing Italy. They drove out the Byzantines, who had held Sicily and southern Italy off and on for centuries, and even threatened Rome itself. At the same time, a group of nomads called the Magyars entered Eastern Europe from Ukraine, where they had been forced out by Central Asian nomads. This seemed like a repeat of events that had helped bring about the fall of the Roman Empire: indeed, the Magyars even took over the old stomping-grounds of Attila the Hun in Hungary, from which they launched attacks on various German states.
The Vikings, or Norsemen, enjoyed great power under King Canute (ruled 1016-35). This illustration depicts the legend of Canute ordering the tide not to wash in. Reproduced by permission of the New York Public Library Picture Collection.
During this age, people who looked to the church for comfort were bound to be disappointed. The papacy had severely declined in the 800s and 900s, with murderers, thieves, and adulterers among the ranks of the popes during those years. An example was the man who became known as John XII in 955: among Pope John's many accomplishments were bribe-
Depiction of the Viking god Thor. Reproduced by permission of the Corbis Corporation.
World History
