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The Tenth Century

Viking Activity Elsewhere

The Norwegians first attacked the Orkneys and Ireland before they struck England. They conquered most of Ireland in the 9th century, but Irish resistance never died out. Norwegian kings ruled in Dublin and had a number of Irish kings as tributaries. Some tried, without success, to return the island to paganism. But the Irish worshipped in secret and fought back where they could. They recaptured Dublin in 901, but Viking kings were in Ireland for another century.

Iceland was settled in the decades around 900, and Greenland was discovered around the same time; both by the Norwegians. Greenland was opened up for settlement in 982 by Eric the Red, father of Leif Ericsson, who gave the island its name. In a classic ploy, Eric named the island Greenland in hopes of attracting settlers.

Danes and Norwegians also sailed down the Atlantic coast of France, sacking Nantes in 843 and controlling the mouth of the Loire River. In most places, Danes and Norwegians were enemies, but for reasons unknown, they seem to have cooperated in this part of the world. A combined fleet captured Lisbon in 845, then sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean. They set up shop in the estuary of the Rhône River in 859 and in 860 they sacked Pisa. This Mediterranean expedition was not followed up, and the Vikings returned to Britany in 862.