199:. Believing it to be Rome, Hastein had his men carry him to the gate and tell the guards he was dying and wished to convert to Christianity. Once inside, he was taken to the town's church where he received the sacraments, before jumping from his stretcher and leading his men in a sack of the town. Another account has him claiming to want to convert before he died, and feigning death on the following day. Luna allowed his body and 50 of his men clad in robes enter for his burial. Hastein's men had concealed swords under their robes, and once inside Hastein leaped from his coffin, decapitated the priest and sacked the city. However, the veracity of this is much debated. He sailed down the coast and sacked
17:
467:. However, in mid-895, a Wessex army arrived, led by Alfred, and built a pair of forts on both sides of the Lea, blocking Hastein's access to the Thames and the sea. The Danes abandoned their camp, returned their families to East Anglia and made another great march, across the West Midlands, to a site on the Severn (where
424:
after many weeks had passed, some of the heathen died of hunger, but some, having by then eaten their horses, broke out of the fortress, and joined battle with those who were on the east bank of the river. But, when many thousands of pagans had been slain, and all the others had been put to flight,
488:
Hastein disappeared from history in around 896, by then an old man having already been described as "the lusty and terrifying old warrior of the Loire and the Somme", when he arrived in
England several years earlier. He was one of the most notorious and successful Vikings of all time, having raided
433:. Hastein apparently planned to rebuild the fortifications and use it as a base for raiding northern Mercia. However, the Mercians had other ideas, they laid siege to the fortress and attempted to starve the Danes out by removing or retrieving any livestock and destroying any crops in the area.
376:
of eastern Wessex. The entire fort, along with the Danes' families – including
Hastein's wife and sons – was captured, along with their ships. Hastein re-established his combined force at a new fort, at Shoebury in eastern Essex, and sent for reinforcements from the Danish kingdoms of
500:
This was a man accursed: fierce, mightily cruel, and savage, pestilent, hostile, sombre, truculent, given to outrage, pestilent and untrustworthy, insolent, fickle and lawless. Death-dealing, uncouth, fertile in ruses, warmonger-general, traitor, fomenter of evil, and double-dyed
408:. Hastein was pursued all the way by Aethelred and a combined Mercian and Wessex army, reinforced by a contingent of warriors from the Welsh kingdoms. Eventually the Viking army was trapped at a place called Buttington—possibly the island by that name on the Severn, near
105:
For indeed the
Frankish nation, which was crushed by the avenger Anstign , was very full of filthy uncleanness. Treasonous and oath-breaking, they were deservedly condemned; unbelievers and faithless, they were justly punished ...
471:
now stands), followed all the way by hostile forces. There they stayed until early-mid 896, when
Hastein's army dissolved. Its former members retreated to East Anglia and Northumbria, except – according to the
759:
448:
over several months. In mid-894, they left, possibly by sea, since they returned to the
Chester area, in a circuitous route encompassing the Danish strongholds of
337:
army between them to keep them from uniting, the result of which was that
Hastein agreed terms, including allowing his two sons to be baptised, and left Kent for
293:
Hastein remained in the Loire country until 882, when he was finally expelled by
Charles and relocated his army north to the Seine. There he stayed until the
420:, several weeks later, Hastein's forces fought their way out, with many casualties, and returned to the fortress at Shoebury. According to the annals:
389:, Hastein held talks with Alfred, possibly to discuss terms for the release of his family. Hastein had his two sons returned to him. According to the
950:
372:, Essex. He used this camp as a base to raid Mercia. However, while his main force was out raiding those left in the fort were defeated by the
763:
425:
the
Christians were masters of the place of death. In that battle the most noble Ordheah and many of the king's thegns were killed ...
341:. The larger army attempted to reunite with Hastein after raiding Hampshire and Berkshire in the late spring of 893, but was defeated at
218:
On the way back to the Loire, he stopped off in North Africa where he bought several
African slaves (known to the Vikings as 'blámenn',
313:
in 892 leading one of two great companies. His army, the smaller of the two, landed in 80 ships and occupied the royal village of
854:
723:
663:
555:
574:
463:
Moving to south-east
England in late 894, Hastein's army towed their ships up the Thames to a fort they constructed on the
301:
was threatened. It was at this point he became one of many experienced Vikings to look to England for riches and plunder.
985:
933:
917:
813:
696:
619:
598:
400:
The negotiations apparently achieved little because, shortly afterwards, Hastein launched a second raid along the
394:
965:
990:
975:
970:
230:) whom he sold in Ireland. They were presumed to have lost 40 ships in a storm, and lost two more at the
570:
334:
251:
436:
In late 893, the besieged army left Chester, marching to South Wales and devastated the kingdoms of
267:
980:
393:, this was because Hastein's sons had been baptised in early 893, with Alfred and his son-in-law
429:
In mid-893, Hastein's forces moved their camp from East Anglia, to the ruined Roman fortress at
378:
493:
90:
137:
417:
263:
231:
364:
As a result, Hastein combined his forces from Appledore and Milton and withdrew them to a
8:
133:
108:
397:
as sponsors. Thus Alfred was godfather to one boy and Aethelred godfather to the other.
152:
on the north coast of Africa, followed by further raids into the Umayyad Caliphate at
929:
913:
850:
832:
809:
791:
746:
719:
692:
659:
615:
594:
551:
259:
192:
122:
909:
883:
847:
Dudo of St Quentin. History of the Normans. Translation with Introduction and Notes
441:
346:
310:
287:
212:
157:
513:
326:
149:
711:
369:
235:
196:
176:
959:
651:
401:
350:
318:
279:
255:
227:
141:
509:
405:
314:
457:
453:
449:
437:
330:
132:
At first the raiding did not go well, with Hastein being defeated by the
945:
520:
468:
161:
148:, where the mosque was burned, and then the ravaging of Mazimma in the
275:
16:
477:
464:
445:
409:
145:
37:
888:
871:
278:. Peace lasted until spring 872 when the Viking fleet sailed up the
76:
chieftain of the late 9th century who made several raiding voyages.
924:
349:, Alfred's son. The survivors eventually reached Hastein's army at
239:
180:
172:
153:
489:
dozens of cities across many kingdoms in Europe and North Africa.
184:
97:
Hastein is credited with being involved with various raids on the
524:
476:– those that were penniless, who found ships and set out to raid
430:
342:
298:
271:
208:
98:
382:
354:
294:
283:
73:
84:
Little is known of Hastein's early life. He is described as a
762:. Royal Commission on Historic Sites in Wales. Archived from
413:
338:
223:
188:
165:
126:
85:
503:
Dudo of St. Quentin's. Gesta Normannorum. Book 1. Chapter 3.
195:, before moving onto Italy. There they attacked the city of
373:
365:
358:
322:
204:
200:
591:
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society: Sixth Series
806:
Kings and Vikings: Scandinavia and Europe, A.D. 700–1100
121:
During 859–862, Hastein jointly led an expedition with
928:
by James Marr (July 16, 1982) Phillimore & Co Ltd
250:
Settled back in Brittany, Hastein allied himself with
101:. He led a great raid into the Mediterranean in 859.
760:"Buttington, Possible site of battle near Welshpool"
357:
army failed to dislodge them from their fortress at
254:
against the Franks in 866, and as part of a Viking-
849:. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press. p. 16.
242:before returning home to the Loire with 20 ships.
957:
527:may have been founded by a forebear of Hastein.
460:, before reaching their fort at Mersea Island.
658:Third Edition Oxford: Oxford University Press
116:
706:
704:
215:'s territories in the eastern Mediterranean.
144:in 859. Success followed with the sacking of
844:
286:, which led to a siege by the Frankish king
912:, (December 1, 2003) Tempus Publishing Ltd
872:"The Frankish origin of the Hastings tribe"
863:
718:. London: Profile Books. pp. 104–110.
701:
612:The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Viking
887:
869:
783:
781:
290:and a peace being agreed in October 873.
111:'s. Gesta Normannorum. Book 1. Chapter 3.
797:
710:
678:New York Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 242
541:
539:
297:besieged Paris and his territory in the
129:to raid countries in the Mediterranean.
30:Viking chieftain of the late 9th century
15:
545:
385:. Shortly afterwards, according to the
958:
822:
803:
778:
732:
519:Some scholars have suggested that the
125:. A fleet of 62 ships sailed from the
26:1st edition (1862), author: Ch. Lahure
550:. Books On Demand. pp. 162–165.
536:
211:. The fleet then possibly raided the
136:and later the Muslims of the Umayyad
668:
647:
645:
643:
641:
585:
583:
575:Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England
548:1016 the Danish Conquest of England
13:
899:
752:
745:894 – English translation at
245:
14:
1002:
939:
876:Sussex Archaeological Collections
808:. London: Routledge. p. 92.
681:
638:
625:
580:
845:Christiansen, Eric, ed. (1998).
689:Mercia and the Making of England
635:New York Charles Scribner's Sons
309:Hastein crossed to England from
838:
171:Hastein and Björn wintered at
23:Histoire Populaire de la France
951:Vikings in the Channel Islands
604:
564:
496:was very critical of Hastein:
353:, after a combined Wessex and
325:, whilst his allies landed at
270:. In 867 he went on to ravage
238:, but still managed to ravage
20:Hastein in Luna, Italy ca 859.
1:
546:Ullidtz, Pers (19 May 2014).
530:
79:
923:History of the Bailiwick of
831:897- English translation at
790:893. English translation at
7:
716:Why Alfred Burned the Cakes
593:Cambridge University Press
175:island on the mouth of the
117:Spain and the Mediterranean
10:
1007:
946:Cindy Vallar's Viking Page
577:. Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
508:He is identified with the
304:
274:and a year later attacked
203:and, sailing on the River
986:9th-century Danish people
835:. Retrieved 3 August 2015
749:. Retrieved 3 August 2015
483:
404:and from there along the
252:Salomon, King of Brittany
870:Chevalier, C.T. (2021).
676:A History of the Vikings
633:A History of the Vikings
234:on their way home, near
521:Hastings area of Sussex
191:, then as far north as
804:Sawyer, Peter (1989).
794:Retrieved 13 July 2015
687:Walker, Ian W (2000).
610:Haywood, John (1995).
506:
501:dissimulator ...
427:
268:Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe
114:
27:
829:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
788:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
743:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
739:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
674:Kendrick T.D (1930).
631:Kendrick T.D (1930).
512:Hasting who held the
498:
494:Dudo of Saint-Quentin
474:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
422:
416:. At the subsequent
391:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
387:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
103:
91:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
19:
966:Viking Age in France
589:Jones, Aled (2003).
418:Battle of Buttington
264:Battle of Brissarthe
232:Straits of Gibraltar
991:9th-century Vikings
976:Viking Age in Spain
971:Viking Age in Italy
656:Anglo-Saxon England
395:Aethelred of Mercia
109:Dudo of St. Quentin
44:, also recorded as
138:emirate of CĂłrdoba
28:
856:978-0-85115-552-4
833:Project Gutenberg
792:Project Gutenberg
766:on 5 October 2020
747:project Gutenberg
725:978-1-86197-786-1
664:978-0-19-280139-5
557:978-87-7145-720-9
374:bolstered militia
345:by an army under
260:Robert the Strong
150:Idrisid Caliphate
998:
910:Magnus Magnusson
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562:
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543:
492:The Picard monk
331:Alfred the Great
329:with 250 ships.
288:Charles the Bald
213:Byzantine Empire
179:before ravaging
164:. They occupied
158:Balearic Islands
1006:
1005:
1001:
1000:
999:
997:
996:
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981:Viking warriors
956:
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900:Further reading
897:
889:10.5284/1085790
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514:Channel Islands
486:
480:via the Seine.
307:
258:army he killed
248:
246:Loire and Seine
119:
99:Frankish Empire
82:
31:
25:
21:
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940:External links
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351:Mersea Island
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333:positioned a
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319:Sittingbourne
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282:and occupied
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768:. Retrieved
764:the original
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406:River Severn
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315:Milton Regis
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168:for 8 days.
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83:
69:
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41:
33:
32:
22:
906:The Vikings
458:East Anglia
454:Five Burghs
450:Northumbria
438:Brycheiniog
379:East Anglia
222:, possibly
960:Categories
531:References
469:Bridgnorth
207:, ravaged
162:Roussillon
80:Early life
68:and alias
882:: 56–62.
478:Austrasia
465:River Lea
446:Glywysing
410:Welshpool
327:Appledore
224:Soussians
146:Algeciras
134:Asturians
46:Hastingus
38:Old Norse
925:Guernsey
714:(2006).
654:(1971).
571:Hæsten 1
370:Benfleet
311:Boulogne
240:Pamplona
220:blue men
181:Narbonne
173:Camargue
154:Orihuela
72:) was a
42:Hásteinn
770:13 July
691:Sutton
622:p 58–59
525:England
431:Chester
359:Thorney
355:Mercian
343:Farnham
305:England
299:Picardy
276:Orléans
272:Bourges
262:at the
228:Tuaregs
209:Fiesole
193:Valence
88:in the
70:Alsting
66:Hæsting
62:Hæstenn
54:Haesten
50:Anstign
34:Hastein
932:
916:
853:
812:
741:893 /
722:
695:
662:
618:
597:
554:
484:Legacy
456:, and
452:, the
347:Edward
335:Wessex
295:Franks
284:Angers
256:Breton
156:, the
142:Niebla
74:Viking
58:Hæsten
442:Gwent
414:Powys
339:Essex
317:near
280:Maine
266:near
189:Arles
185:Nîmes
177:Rhone
166:Nekor
127:Loire
930:ISBN
914:ISBN
851:ISBN
810:ISBN
772:2015
720:ISBN
693:ISBN
660:ISBN
616:ISBN
595:ISBN
552:ISBN
510:Jarl
444:and
383:York
381:and
323:Kent
205:Arno
201:Pisa
197:Luna
187:and
160:and
86:Dane
908:by
884:doi
880:104
601:p24
573:at
523:in
368:at
321:in
226:or
140:at
64:or
962::
878:.
874:.
780:^
703:^
640:^
582:^
538:^
440:,
412:,
361:.
183:,
94:.
60:,
56:,
52:,
48:,
40::
892:.
886::
859:.
818:.
774:.
728:.
560:.
36:(
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