DK Eyewitness Books - Viking

16

Terrorizing the west

TȩȦȷȪȬȪȯȨȴȴȸȦȱȵ into western Europe, terrorizing towns along

the coast, plundering churches and grabbing riches, slaves, and

land. The first dated raid, on the famous monastery of Lindisfarne,

England, in 793, shocked the whole Christian world. From then on,

attacks all over Europe intensified. Bands of Viking warriors roamed

the North Sea and the English Channel, raiding choice targets almost

at will. Soon the Vikings were venturing farther inland. They sailed up the great

rivers of Europe—the Rhine, Seine, Rhone, and Loire—

and even overran Paris, France. The raiders began to

spend the winters in areas they had captured. Then

they set up bases to attack other targets. The Vikings

often demanded huge payments for leaving an area

in peace. Some warriors spent many years raiding.

Björn Jarnsitha and his companion Hasting spent

three years with 62 ships in Spain, North Africa,

France, and Italy. They lost a lot of their treasure in

storms on the way home.

Animal-head lead

weight made

in Ireland

THROWN INTO THE THAMES

This Viking sword was found in the

Thames River in London. This big English

city was attacked many times, once by 94

ships. But it was never taken.

Rusted iron
blade

HOLY

SLAUGHTER

Lindisfarne is a small

island off the east coast of

England. The celebrated monastery

there was destroyed by Vikings in 793.

These warriors carved on a stone from the

island may well be the Viking raiders.

TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle, a contemporary

English historical record, reported:

“The ravages of heathen men miserably

destroyed God’s church on Lindisfarne,

with plunder and slaughter.”

RAIDING FRANCE

This picture of a Viking ship is in a French

manuscript from around 1100. Viking ships attacked

French towns and monasteries all through the 9th

century. One group of Vikings settled in the Seine

region. Another band, under the chieftain Rollo,

made their homes around Rouen. This area became

known as Normandy, “Land of the Northmen.”

SOUVENIR OF PARIS

Paris was conquered on Easter Sunday, March 28,

845. Charles the Bald, the French king, had to pay
     the raiders 7,000 lb (3,150 kg) of silver to get peace.
     The Viking leader Ragnar even took a bar from the
     city gate as a souvenir. But he and most of his men
     died of disease on their way back to Scandinavia.