The Vikings sack the island abbey of Lindisfarne, off the northeastern coast of England

Historical Context Note

Caitlin Ellis (University of Cambridge)
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The attack on Lindisfarne, described in Alcuin’s letters, was traditionally seen as the first Viking raid on Britain and Ireland and therefore marked — according to the ‘Shetelig axiom’ — the start of the so-called ‘Viking Age’. Scholars now believe that contact with Scandinavia, both trading and raiding, preceded this point.

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Citation: Ellis, Caitlin. "The Vikings sack the island abbey of Lindisfarne, off the northeastern coast of England". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 January 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=6881, accessed 19 March 2024.]

6881 The Vikings sack the island abbey of Lindisfarne, off the northeastern coast of England 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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