The Lindisfarne Raid was the first known viking expedition to the West, and also the first raid on England. It was featured in Season 1 Episode 2 (Wrath of the Northmen). Done against Earl Haraldson's orders, the group sailed on Floki's new boat. It was led by Ragnar Lothbrok, together with Rollo and Floki, and among the raiders were Kauko, Erik, Leif, Arne and Torstein. The group totaled about 20 to 30 men. The group found a christian monastery filled with monks, one of them being Athelstan, who was captured as a slave. The vikings proceeded to sack the Monastery, siezing all the gold holy artifacts and butching many of the monks, taking the remainder as slaves. Floki set fire to the scriptures of the monastery. The fire soon spread across all of the monastery.
Aftermath
The Lindisfarne Raid was an absolute suceess for the Vikings. In addition to the discovery of the British isles, the raid proved that the West would yield far greater riches than the East, and led to numerous more raids against the West, as well as igniting the Vikings-English Wars.
In addition, the Raid's sucess would cement Ragnar Lothbrok as a legend in the Vikings culture, and serve as the stepping stone to his rise in power and fame.
At some point after the raid, the monastery was rebuilt and restored. It would visited by Athelstan's son, the future King Alfred, decades after the Raid.
Trivia
- By the end of Season 5a, only two raiders from the Lindisfarne Raid are still alive: Floki and Rollo.
The Monastery of Lindisfarne.
The monks running for their lives.
Athelstan captured by Ragnar.
