This document is an academic dissertation that examines the raid on Lindisfarne in 793 CE. It explores the historical evidence for the event, including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the writings of Symeon of Durham, and letters by Alcuin. The dissertation questions the prevailing narrative of the raid, which portrays it as a surprise attack by Vikings. Instead, it argues that the raid was likely a result of a complex interplay of factors, including long-standing Anglo-Saxon missionary activity in northern Europe, the Frankish empire’s expansion into Saxony, and a widespread famine that would have motivated pagans to seek food and resources elsewhere.
SOURCE
Tim Wight Le Rossignol
Student No: 14013177
December 2019
University of Highland and Islands
Dissertation UQ511903