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Migration period facts for kids

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The migration period, or barbarian invasions or Völkerwanderung, is a name for the period of roughly AD 300–700 in Europe. That was the period at the end of Ancient history and the beginning of the Middle Ages.

Invasions of the Roman Empire 1
2nd to fifth century simplified migrations. See also map of the world in AD 820.

Migrations

Bracteate from Funen, Denmark (DR BR42)
A Migration Period Germanic gold bracteate featuring a depiction of a bird, horse, and stylized head wearing a Suebian knot sometimes theorized to represent Germanic god Wōden and what would later become Sleipnir and Hugin or Munin in Germanic mythology, later attested to in the form of Norse mythology. The runic inscription includes the religious term alu.

The migration included the Goths, Vandals, and Franks, among other Germanic, Bulgar and Slavic tribes. The migration may have been influenced by attacks of the Huns in the east and connected to the Turkic migration in Central Asia, population pressures, or climate changes. The migration period also included groups of Angles, Saxons, Frisians and some Jutes to Britain.

Migrations would continue well beyond 1000 AD, successive waves of Slavs, Alans, Avars, Bulgars, Hungarians, Pechenegs, Cumans, and Tatars changed the ethnic makeup of Eastern Europe. Western European historians, however, tend to stress the migrations most relevant to Western Europe.

Related pages

Images for kids

  • The origin and dispersion of Slavs in the 5-10th centuries

    Migration of early Slavs in Europe between the 5th–10th centuries.

  • Old Great Bulgaria and migration of Bulgarians

    Migration and settlement of the Bulgars during the 6th–7th centuries AD

  • Pair of radiate-head bow brooches, Slavic, 2 of 2, c. 600-650 AD, copper alloy, gilding - Morgan Library & Museum - New York City - DSC06620

    Slavic fibula brooch made of copper dating back to the Migration Period, c. 600-650 AD

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Período de las grandes migraciones para niños

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