The Attack on Lindisfarne in 793

When the Vikings attacked the holy land of Lindisfarne in 793, it was the earliest recorded Viking raid in the west. Lindisfarne, located of the coast of Northumberland, was a monastery founded by Saint Aiden in 630. In Lindisfarne was the monastery named " Saint Cuthbert ", one of the most sacred places in Britain. Is it there that the sacred Lindisfarne gospels were located. For more than 150 years Lindisfarne had collected many riches in the monastery from people donating to the church. These people believed that if they donated, their souls would be saved. All of these riches were soon stolen by the Vikings. The Vikings loved to attack monasteries for the reason that they could take all of the riches that were located in them. For the people who wrote of the attack, it was horrible and merciless. Many monks were killed and others kidnapped. The alters and the fabric of the building was also destroyed. The Vikings continued to attack in the later years in various places including Jarrow, and Iona and stealing riches. These two places also had become destroyed. One entry writes that the Vikings came, killed the monks, took the riches, and left as if it were nothing. For the next 273 years the Vikings would continue this kind of attacking all across Britain. It was not until 1066 when the Vikings were beaten at the battle of Stamford Bridge.

Who were the Vikings? The Vikings were a group of seafaring people who at their height controlled