Conflict: | Viking raid on Galicia and Asturias |
Date: | 31 July 844 |
Place: | Gijón and A Coruña |
Result: | Asturian victory |
Combatant1: | Kingdom of Asturias Kingdom of Galicia |
Combatant2: | Kingdom of Norway[1] |
Commander1: | Ramiro I of Asturias |
Commander2: | Unknown |
Strength2: | 150 ships[2] |
Casualties2: | 70 longships burnt[3] [4] Heavy human losses[5] [6] |
The Viking raid on Galicia and Asturias occurred in 844. Many longships were lost in the attack and the fleet retreated to Aquitaine.[7]
In 844, the Vikings, who at that time infested all the maritime provinces of Europe, made a descent at A Coruña, and began to raid the countryside, burning and pillaging. King Ramiro I of Asturias marched against them with a potent army, managed to rout the invaders with a prodigious slaughter, took many of them as prisoners, and burned the best part of their fleet. Ramiro's reception frightened the Viking raiders, so raiding parties no longer troubled the parts of Spain that were under the king's control.