Hastein was one of the most formidable Viking leaders of the 9th century, renowned for his audacious raids across Europe and the Mediterranean. His reputation as a cunning and relentless warrior was forged through a series of legendary exploits, most notably his daring incursion into Italy and the infamous sack a city he and his men believed to be Rome.
Early Life and Rise to Power
Little is known about Hastein’s early years. He is described in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as a Dane, though later chroniclers speculated about possible Frankish connections, perhaps as a result of Charlemagne’s relocation of Saxons and Danes to Christian lands. Regardless of his origins, Hastein emerged as a prominent Viking chieftain by the mid-9th century, leading raids along the coasts of Francia and eventually commanding fleets that ventured far beyond Scandinavia.
The Mediterranean Expedition: Setting the Stage
By 859 AD, Hastein had established himself as a leader of great ambition and vision. Alongside the legendary Björn Ironside, he launched one of the most remarkable Viking expeditions of the era: a voyage into the Mediterranean with a fleet of 62 ships. Their journey would take them from the Loire River in modern-day France, along the Iberian Peninsula, and through the Strait of Gibraltar – a feat rarely attempted by northern seafarers.
The expedition was fraught with peril. The Vikings faced fierce resistance in Spain and Portugal, suffering defeats but also achieving some victories along the coast. Undeterred, Hastein and his men pressed on, raiding parts of North Africa and the Balearic Islands before turning their attention to the fabled riches of Italy.
The Italian Campaign: The Sack of Luna
The Legend of Rome
The Vikings, like many in northern Europe, were captivated by tales of Rome’s immense wealth. Whether through misunderstanding or deliberate deception, Hastein became convinced that the city of Luna, situated on the Tuscan coast, was in fact Rome itself. This belief set the stage for one of the most dramatic episodes in Viking history.
Hastein’s fleet sailed up the Italian coast and anchored off Luna around 859 AD. The city, well-fortified and situated on a hill, presented a formidable challenge. Recognizing that a direct assault would be costly, Hastein devised a plan that would become legendary for its cunning.
The Ruse
According to several chroniclers, Hastein feigned mortal illness. He sent envoys to the city’s leaders, claiming he was dying and wished to convert to Christianity so his soul could be saved. The townspeople, perhaps eager to avoid bloodshed or genuinely moved by the request, allowed Hastein and a small group of his men – unarmed and bearing only a coffin – into Luna’s gates for the supposed baptism and funeral.
Once inside the church, Hastein sprang from his coffin, sword in hand, and led his warriors in a surprise attack. The Vikings quickly opened the gates, allowing the rest of their force to pour in and sack the city. The inhabitants were slaughtered or enslaved, and Luna was plundered of its wealth.
Aftermath and Disappointment
It was only after the city had been sacked that Hastein realized his mistake: Luna was not Rome. The true Eternal City lay further inland, untouched by the Vikings’ wrath. Despite this error, the raid on Luna became one of the most famous Viking exploits in the Mediterranean, demonstrating both the reach and the audacity of Norse raiders.
Following the sack of Luna, Hastein’s fleet continued its campaign along the Italian coast, attacking other cities and towns. The Vikings raided Pisa and may have struck as far south as Sicily, exploiting the political fragmentation and relative unpreparedness of Italian defenses. Their activities spread terror throughout the region and forced local rulers to adopt new defensive measures against seaborne threats.
The Return Journey: Hardship and Profit
The return voyage was as perilous as the outward journey.
When the fleet set out again, they hugged the coast, wary of both the elements and the local powers. News of Luna’s sack had spread. Coastal towns bristled with makeshift defenses, and more than once, Halstein’s scouts spotted galleys on the horizon, sent by Italian princes eager for vengeance or ransom. The Vikings avoided confrontation, preferring to slip past under cover of darkness or fog.
Crossing the Ligurian Sea, the fleet reached the French coast, where the land was more familiar but no less dangerous. The Franks, still smarting from previous Viking raids, had fortified their ports and rivers. Halstein’s men, hungry and restless, argued for another raid, but the leader refused. The fleet’s strength was waning, and he knew that a single defeat could doom them all. Instead, they traded stolen silks and silver with local fishermen for food and water, relying on intimidation and reputation rather than open violence.
The Rhône delta offered a brief respite. Here, the Vikings could repair their ships and tend to their wounded. Halstein met with his captains, dividing the spoils and settling disputes that had simmered since Luna. Discipline was harsh – one man caught stealing from his comrades was executed on the spot, his body left as a warning.
As they moved up the coast of Iberia, the fleet faced new threats. Moorish patrols from Al-Andalus prowled the waters, seeking revenge for earlier Viking raids. One night, a swift galley attacked the rearmost ship, setting it ablaze with Greek fire. The screams of burning men echoed across the water, and Halstein ordered the fleet to scatter, regrouping only when the danger had passed.
Rounding the coast of Portugal, the Norsemen encountered fierce Atlantic storms. Several ships, already weakened, foundered in the heavy seas. Halstein’s own vessel nearly capsized, and only the skill of his steersman saved them. .
Hastein’s fleet suffered heavy losses – less than half the original fleet still remained. Undeterred, the survivors continued their raids, attacking Pamplona in what is now northern Spain and taking captives for ransom before finally returning to their base on the Loire with only 20 ships remaining. Despite the losses, the expedition was considered a success, having yielded considerable plunder and slaves, including African captives whom Hastein sold in Ireland.
Hastein’s England Campaigns
After his Mediterranean exploits, Hastein continued to play a prominent role in Viking affairs. He allied himself with Salomon, King of Brittany, and participated in the defeat of Robert the Strong at the Battle of Brissarthe in 866. He raided deep into the Frankish heartlands, attacking cities such as Bourges and Orléans.
In 892, Hastein crossed from Boulogne to England, leading one of two major Viking forces. His smaller army landed with 80 ships at Milton Regis in Kent, while his allies arrived at Appledore with 250 ships. King Alfred the Great stationed a Wessex army between them, preventing their union. Hastein agreed to terms, including the baptism of his sons, and withdrew to Essex. Meanwhile, the larger Viking force was defeated at Farnham by Alfred’s son Edward after raiding Hampshire and Berkshire. Survivors eventually joined Hastein at Mersea Island, as a combined Wessex and Mercian army failed to oust them from Thorney.
Hastein then merged his forces and moved to a fortified camp at Benfleet, Essex, using it as a base to raid Mercia. However, while he was away in 894, the Wessex militia attacked and captured the fort, taking the Danes’ families, including Hastein’s wife and sons. Hastein regrouped at Shoebury and called for reinforcements from East Anglia and York. He held talks with Alfred, likely regarding his family’s release, and his sons, already baptised with Alfred and Aethelred of Mercia as sponsors, were returned to him.
Negotiations failed, and Hastein launched another raid along the Thames and Severn. He was pursued by Aethelred and a joint Mercian, Wessex, and Welsh force, eventually being trapped at Buttington. After weeks of siege and starvation, Hastein’s men broke out with heavy losses and returned to Shoebury.
In mid-893, Hastein moved to the ruined Roman fortress at Chester, planning to use it as a base for northern raids. The Mercians besieged Chester, removing livestock and destroying crops to starve the Vikings out. By late 893, Hastein’s army left Chester, ravaged parts of South Wales, and later returned to Mersea Island via a circuitous route through several Danish strongholds.
In late 894, Hastein’s army moved up the Thames to a new fort on the River Lea. In 895, Alfred’s forces built forts blocking their access to the Thames, forcing the Danes to abandon their camp and families, and march across the West Midlands to the Severn at Bridgnorth. There, Hastein’s army dissolved in early 896, with survivors retreating to East Anglia and Northumbria, while some penniless Vikings set out to raid Francia via the Seine.
Hastein disappears from history at this point.
Legacy
Hastein’s reputation as a master strategist and ruthless raider endured long after his death. He is remembered as one of the most successful Vikings of his era, a man whose ambition and cunning enabled him to strike fear into the hearts of rulers from Scandinavia, Britain, Iberia and Francia to North Africa.
The raid on Luna stands as a testament to the adaptability and resourcefulness of Viking leaders like Hastein. It illustrates how Norse raiders were not merely brutal warriors but also capable of sophisticated deception and psychological warfare. The episode became legendary, not only for its drama but also for the way it encapsulated the blend of myth, ambition, and opportunism that characterized the Viking Age.
