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Viking
raids on the iberian peninsula |
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Oscar
Calleja
estudiante
de secundaria, Torrelavega (Cantabria) |
Motivation
The reason why the Scandinavian Vikings
first started to expand throughout europe
is still debatable but one common theory
suggests that the Norsemen first descended
upon the countries south to them in the
790s because Charlemagne was forcing the
Pagans to convert to Christianity and killing
those who refused so the Vikings and other
Pagans wanted to avenge. They also went
to explore and raid the overseas because:
pillaging was a faster way to gain resources
than farming in their climate, there was
a shortage of women so they needed to acquire
wifes, their naval technologies were superior
and they had a youth bulge so they gained
military advantage
1st Attack.
The Viking’s first attack in Spain
was in 844 during the reign of Ramiro I
of Asturias, they first approached the Asturian
coast of Gijon but they left and went to
Coruna. They attempted to take the Hercules
tower in Coruna but the citizens defended
it bravely so King Ramiro I gathered an
army in Galicia and Asturias and defeated
the Vikings and forced them to retreat.
However, they sailed to Lisbon and took
the city to then sail South towards Cadiz
and arrived at Seville in the 25 September
844 and taking control of the city on the
1 October. The Moorish army received reinforcements
from every direction and liberated the city
40 days after and forced the Vikings to
retreat again.
2nd attack
In 859 a huge Vikings fleet attacked Galicia
and Asturias raiding the coast of what is
today Portugal, Guadalquivir, raya, Cartama,
Malaga, la Rudaya burning scores of buildings.
They then left to the coast of Africa ravaging
the land and taking a great number of Moors
to Ireland. After that they returned to
Andalucía and started raiding inland
attacking Pamplona by surprise and making
their king a prisoner. Their raids went
as far as to the French border but they
left in 861 after numerous raids.
3rd and 4th attack
Nearly a century passed before the Vikings
attempted another attack on the coast of
Spain. This time the Vikings seemed to be
few in number and the attack was less dangerous.
In 968 during the reign of the 7 year old
Ramiro III the most powerful Viking fleet
to land in Spain arrived at Galicia with
100 ships that were led by king Gundered.
The Vikings arrived at Juncariae and went
destroying villages towards St. jago de
Compostella destroying the whole area, killing
the bishop and roaming the countryside unopposed
as far as the Cebrarian mountains. They
stayed in Galicia for a year until the huge
army of Gonzalo Sanchez, the count of Galicia,
fell upon them killing most including king
Gundered. This attack was the largest and
most dangerous of them all, a few attacks
followed this one in the 11th century until
the last Viking attack in 1050.
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Tema 8. Los primeros reinos cristianos
