North Germanic peoples
Vikings were also active in Francia. Some of these Vikings would sail through the Strait of Gibraltar and pillage the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. In the early 10th century, a group of Vikings under the leadership of Rollo settled in Rouen, France, and established the Duchy of Normandy. The descendants of these Vikings, known as the "Normans", would in the 11th century conquer England, Southern Italy, and North Africa, and play a leading role in launching the Crusades. Sub-groups of the Normans include Anglo-Normans, Scoto-Normans, Cambro-Normans, Hiberno-Normans and Italo-Normans.
Horik II
During Horik's reign, Vikings raided England in 855 and 860 with varying success. The Great Heathen Army arrived to East Anglia in 865 and conquered York in Northumbria two years later, starting the Viking conquest and colonization of much of northeast England. While they are expressly called Danes in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the army appears to have been formed by Vikings operating in Francia and Frisia. Whether the royal power in Denmark had part in the planning and organization is unknown. Later sagas assert that this was the case, depicting the leaders of the invasion as sons of the Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok. However, no such king is known in the contemporary sources. The invasion leaders Halfdan and Bagsecg were known as "kings" and may or may not have been related to the kings in the Danish homeland.