Background: Invasions by the Angles,
Saxons, Magyars, and Vikings
disrupted the social, economic, and
political order of Europe. They also
destroyed the empire set up by
Charlemagne.
Areas of Settlement:
and Saxons – moved from
Continental Europe to England
 Magyars – moved from Central Asia to
Hungary
 Vikings – moved from Scandinavia to
Russia
 Angles
Angles & Saxons
Magyars
Cultural Characteristics of the
Vikings:
1. They worshipped warlike gods
2. Seafaring people – always on the water
to find new sources for food
Cultural Characteristics of the
Vikings:
3. Leif Ericson – actually landed on North
America around 1000
4. Eventually adopted Christianity stopped
looting monasteries
Cultural Characteristics of the
Magyars:
1. Nomadic people from the East
2. They were excellent horseback
riders
Cultural Characteristics of the
Magyars:
3. Their goal was to capture people to
be sold as slaves, NOT land
4. Attacked isolated villages and
monasteries
Influence and Impact of
Invasions of Western Europe
1. Immediate Impact – disruption of trade
and decline of towns
2. Long-term Impact – fear of invasion let
to people seeking protections from local
lords in and around their
castles/manors, which ultimately
strengthened feudalism
Effects of the Mongol invasions:
1. Invaded Russia, Southwest Asia
and China
2. Destroyed cities and countryside
3. Created an Empire
Effects of the Ottoman invasions
of Europe:
1. Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks
in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire
2. Constantinople became capital of
Ottoman Empire
3. Ottoman Turks were Muslim –
represented the spreading of Islam