The Danelaw

What was Danelaw?

The Danelaw was an area that covered the north and east of England during the 9th and 10th centuries. It was mainly controlled by the Vikings, and the Dane's law was used to rule the people (hence Danelaw).

How were the Danelaw areas different to the rest of Anglo-Saxon England?

There were a number of differences between Danelaw and Anglo-Saxon England.

• ❖ The language used in the Danelaw was different, with lots of Scandinavian words. For example, a hide was called a carucate.
• ❖ There were more ceorls (freemen) in the Danelaw, and peasants had more freedom to leave their lord's land.
• ❖ The amount of Danegeld payable, originally given as protection money to the Vikings, was much lower in the Danelaw.