After a period of Germanic invasion and occupation of the British Isles, the Vikings arrived in Britain at the end of the 8th century. Their specialist longboats provided ideal invading craft which meant they could control large areas of Britain close to the coast.
The Danish Vikings appeared to exchange the Saxon system based on military aristocracy with a less oppressive regime based around farming. Danelaw was set up in large parts of Eastern and Northern England where new laws were brought in and the remaining Saxons were impelled to pay Danegeld to avoid further conflict with the ruling Danes.