The number of times I have been asked that haha!
Ok... to sum it up about as quickly as possible
"When considering medieval figures, it is important to differentiate fact and fiction. Yet both can be a product of the time and a useful guide to cultural values. As Matt Gabriele and Jace Stuckey have shown with Charlemagne, individuals can have an outsize impact on the historic cultures they confronted.
This research essay examines the influence of Vikings or Norsemen, more specifically of Ivar the Boneless, Norse king of Ireland and England, over the development of those cultures as well as contemporary perception of the effects of Ivar?s rapid conquests. Ivar invaded Ireland in 853, as documented in the Annals of Ulster and by 864 would be recognized as King of Ireland; his departure from Ireland later that year coincides with his appearance in England and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles attests to his rise to kingship in England before his death in 873. This essay will establish the events of his conquests as a means of outlining Ivar?s and the broader Norse effect upon the respective cultures of Ireland and England. The spread of Norse culture throughout Ireland and England also affected language, feudal lordship and laws such as the ?Danelaw?."
That is a direct and short (yeah I know its long but short in context) quote from my 'proposal.' Under no circumstances should this material be reused without my permission, I would rather not get expelled and put on academic probation!