how much material damage did the northmen actually do to ninth-century europe?

337 Pages·2008·5.21 MB·English

HOW MUCH MATERIAL DAMAGE DID THE
NORTHMEN ACTUALLY DO TO NINTH-CENTURY
EUROPE?
Lesley Anne Morden
B.A. (Hons), McGill University, 1982
M.A. History, McMaster University, 1985
M.L. I.S., University of Western Ontario, 1987
THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
In the
Department of History
O Lesley Morden 2007
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Spring 2007
All rights reserved. This work may not be
reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy
or other means, without permission of the author.
APPROVAL
Name: Lesley Anne Moden
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Tiue of Theds: How much material damage did the Northmen actually do to
nlnthcenbny Europe?
Examining Committee:
Chalc Jorwtph Tayior
Assodate Professor and CRC. Deparbnent of History, SFU
Paul E Dutton
Jack and Nancy Farley Endowed Univenr'i Prafessor. t-imanities
Department, SFU
Courbrey Booker
Assistant P*SSOT, Hiory Department. UBC
Richard Unger
Pmfessor, History Deparbnent UBC
John Cdg
Professor and Chair of Deparbnent of History
Emlly O'Brien
w a n tP rofessor. Department of History
ABSTRACT
HOW MUCH MATERIAL DAMAGE DID THE NORTHMEN ACTUALLY DO
TO NINTH-CENTURY EUROPE?
Lesley Anne Morden
The aim of this dissertation is to examine the material damage the
Northmen perpetrated in Northern Europe during the ninth century, and the
effects of their raids on the economy of the Carolingian empire. The
methodological approach which is taken involves the comparison of
contemporary written accounts of the Northmen's destruction to
archaeological evidence which either supports these accounts, or not. In the
examination of the evidence, the destruction of buildings and settlements, and
human losses are taken into account.
The first chapter deals with the current state of the question. In it,
secondary sources are critiqued from the standpoint of what they have to say
about the nature of the Northmen's invasions into continental Europe, the
ramifications these incursions had with respect to the defences of Frankish
territory, and the resulting economic effects.
Chapter two places the original written source material under scrutiny.
Chapter three provides a critical narrative of the consecutive waves of attacks
engaged in by the Northmen in Frankish territory between the years 835 and
892.
The final chapter sets up a comparison between the written accounts of
the Northmen's destruction and what has been uncovered and published by
archaeologists. Primarily because the wriien sources regularly mention that
there was much burning that accompanied the attacks, this chapter includes
site excavations that report bum layers andlor other documented forms of
material destruction.
Four maps and two appendices are featured at the end of the dissertation.
The maps illustrate both the areas where the Northmen marauded and the
archaeological sites mentioned in chapter four. The appendices inventory the
places where the NorUImen were reported to have caused destruction, the
numbers of casualties on both sides, tribute paid to the Northmen, and the
relics translated from their 'homesw to other, safer sites.
The dissertation shows that the written sources of the ninth century were
generally quite accurate when they reported on the levels of destruction at
various sites and that the economy of the Frankish territories was not
disrupted completely as a result of the Northmen's incursions into continental
Europe, as previous historians have claimed.
Keywords: Northmen; Vikings; Carolingians; Danes; archaeology;
history
I would like to extend my gratitude to Professor Paul E. Dutton for suggesting
I cover this topic in my dissertation and for his patience as he waited for the
finished product. Thank you also to Matt T. Rosenberg for allowing me to
include the outlines of his maps from his website
(htt~:[email protected]).s t, but certainly not least, I would
like to express my heartfett thanks to my husband Richard and my daughter
Samantha for putting up with me over the past few years while I completed
this dissertation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
........................................................................................................
Approval ii
...
........................................................................................................
Abstract 111
...................................................................................
Acknowledgements v
..........................................................................................
Table of Contents vi
..
..................................................................................................
List of Maps VII
...
........................................................................................
Abbreviations VIII
....................................................................
Chapter I: Status Quaestionis I
..................................................
Chapter 2: Analysis of the Written Texts 42
Chapter 3: Chronological Account of the Material Damage Done
by the Northmen in the 9" century according to the Written
Sources ........................................................................................................ 78
Chapter 4: Archaeological Evidence Relating to the Raids of the
Northmen in the 9t h century ..................................................................... 175
Chapter 5: Conclusions ........................................................................... 222
Appendix 1: Reports of the Material Damage done to Frankish
sites ........................................................................................................ 233
Appendix 2: Reports of Deaths and Disruptions: Human and
Economic ................................................................................................. 268
Bibliography .......................................................................................... 300
LIST OF MAPS
.............................
Map 1: Netherlands 229
..........................................
Map 2: Belgium 230
.........................................
Map 3: Germany 231
............................................
Map 4: France 232
vii
AA SS Acta Sanctorum
AB Annales Bediniani
Abbo Bella Parisiacae udis
Adrevald Mimcula s. Benedicti
Alcuin Epistolae
AE Annales Engolismenses
AF Annales Fuldenses
Ana Boll Analecta Bollandiana
AR Annales Rotomagenses
ARF Annales regni Francorum
ASC Anglo-Saxon Chmnicks
Asser De rebus gestis Aelfredi
AV Annales Vedastini
AX Annales Xantenses
CF Chmnicon Fontanellense
CN Chmnicon Namnetense
Einhard Epistolae
Errnentarius De tmnslationibus et mimculis s. Filibetti libri 2
Ermold Carmen in honorem Hludowici
Lupus Epistolae
viii
MGH Monumenta Germaniae historica
Cap. Capitularia regum Francorum
Dip. Diplomata
EPP. Epistolae,
PLAC Poetae Latini aevi Camlini
Poet. Poetae Latini medii aevi
ss
scriptores
SS ref Scriptores mum Memvingicarum
Mer
Mir. s. Genovefae Miracula sanctae Genovefae
Mir. s. Miracula sanctae Opportunae
Opportunae
Mir. s. Dionysii Miracula sancti Dionysii
Mir. s. Martialis Miracula sancti Martialis
Mir. s. Martini Miracula sancti Martini
Mir. s. Richarii Miracula sancti Richani'
Mir. s. Miracula sancti Wandregisili
Wandregisili
Nithard Historiae libri 4
Notker Gesta Kamli Magni
Tessier Recueil des acted de Charles I1 le Chauve, mi de
France
Trans. s. Translatio sancti Germani Parisiensis
Germani
VA Rimbert, Vita Anskarii
Vita s. Tuduali Vita sancti Tuduali 3
CHAPTER 1: STATUS QUAESTIONIS
Throughout the twentieth century, opinions concerning the nature and
extent of the Northmen's incursions into the Frankish empire have been
hotly debated. Authors such as Peter sawyer1 and Richard ~odgesw,h~o
have based many of their theories of the invasions on archaeological
evidence, consider that these invasions did not have as destructive an
influence on the Carolingian empire as the documentary sources of the time
reflect, and that the incursions were preceded by a long tradition of trading
relationships between Scandinavia and both the Merovingians and
Carolingians. Others, on the other hand, among whom are pirenne3a nd his
successors, have viewed the Northmen's invasions as utterly destructive to
the fabric of Carolingian society. Within this framework, this chapter will
examine several key topics related to the ninth-century invasions of the
Northrnen in the Carolingian empire.
'peter Sawyer, Kings and Vikings: Scandinavia and Europe AD 700-7700
(New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1994), passim.
2~icharHd odges, "The rebirth of towns in the early Middle Ages," in
Richard Hodges and Brian Hobley, eds., The rebirth of towns in the west
AD 700-1050 (London, 1988), passim. See also Richard Hodges, Dark
Age Economics (London: Duckworth, 1 982), passim.
3~enrPii renne, Mohammed and Chatiemagne (London, 1939), passim.
See also Richard Hodges and David Whitehouse, Mohammed,
Chatiemagne and the Origins of Europe: Archaeology and the Pirenne
thesis (London: Allen & Unwin, 1939), passim. Peter Sawyer, Kings and
Vikings: Scandinavia and Europe AD 700-1 10 0 (New York: Barnes &
Noble Books, 1994), passim.