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The Raid of Hexham is a Viking raid that is part of the Vikings-English Wars campaign. It depicts the confrontation between Ragnar's war band and the Kingdom of Northumbria. The event takes place in Season 1 Episode 4, Trial.

Prelude

Athelstan tells Ragnar about a small town near Lindisfarne, called Hexham. Ragnar decided this will be the next location he and his war band raid. Unlike the previous raid, the Raid of Lindisfarne, Ragnar asks permission for his raid from Earl Haraldson. Haraldson allows Ragnar to go raiding, but only the condition that his trusted half-brother Knut joins them. Lagertha also joins the raiding party.

The Raid

When the group arrives in Northumbria, they are met by a small army on the beach. The Sheriff asks if they are traders, and Ragnar tries to talk and negotiate with them, but Rollo didn't trust the Northumbrians and says they are leading them into a trap or ambush. Floki then steals a cross necklace from one of the soldiers, starting a fight between the Vikings and the Northumbrian soldiers.

Ragnar's war band defeated the Saxons and captured one of their soldiers as prisoner, but one of them escaped on a horse who informs King Aelle of the foreigners. The prisoner led the Vikings to Hexham. Rollo was impatient and urged the attack, but Ragnar said they would attack tomorrow because it was Sunday and they could attack them during mass.

The next morning the raiders attacked the town while most of its populace was attending mass. They managed to sneak in and attacked the church by surprise. Ragnar told the priest to not resist. The Vikings then pillaged everything in the church, and Floki killed the priest. Rollo broke into a house and saw and old man lying on the bed, who was naturally afraid of Rollo. Instead of killing the old man, Rollo gave him water, and then took the kettle. Knut entered a house and saw a woman protecting her son. He started to rape her, but was stopped by Lagertha. Knut then tried to rape Lagertha, but she killed him in self-defense. Afterwards, the group returned to their boat, and Ragnar asked about Knut. Lagertha answered that she killed him because he raped a Saxon and then tried to rape her. When the war band arrived back at their ship to go home, they are met by a force of Northumbrian soldiers lead by Northumbrian Lords Edgar and Wigea, and a skirmish then ensued.

Aftermath

Ragnar and his war band return to Kattegat with the riches they plundered from Hexham. Earl Haraldson questions the whereabouts of his brother Knut, to which Ragnar states he killed him for trying to rape Ragnar's wife Lagertha. Haraldson doesn't believe Ragnar and finds it too convinient. Ragnar is then arrested and put on trial. Ragnar appeals to the people of the court. Lagertha soon after states that it was her that killed Knut. Rollo is ordered to step forward to confirm the truth, to which he states that Ragnar killed him but not in cold blood, so he cannot be punished. After Ragnar's release, Earl Haraldson orders assassins to attack Ragnar's war band while they celebrate their successful raid and Ragnar's freedom. The assassins kill Erik, Leif's father. The following day an attack is organized on Ragnar's farm where many are slaughtered and Ragnar is gravely wounded.

Gallery

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