page_title: Viking raids in the Rhineland
section_title: 882 Moselle raid
hierarchical_section_title: Viking raids in the Rhineland / Winter raids of 881/882 / 882 Moselle raid
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Porta Nigra in Trier, besterhaltenes römisches Bauwerk nördlich der Alpen, UNESCO Weltkulturerbe, English: Porta Nigra (Black Gate) in Trier, Germany, best preserved Roman building north of the Alps, and World Heritage Site of UNESCO Français&#160;: La Porta Nigra («&#160;Porte Noire&#160;») de Trèves, en Allemagne, est le bâtiment romain le mieux préservé au nord des Alpes, et un site classé au Patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO. Español: La Porta Nigra (Puerta Negra) de Tréveris (Alemania) es la construcción romana mejor conservada al norte de los Alpes. Pertenece al Patrimonio mundial de la UNESCO.
context_page_description: The Viking raids in the Rhineland were part of a series of invasions of Francia by the Vikings that took place during the final decades of the 9th century. From the Rhineland, which can be regarded as the nucleus of Frankish culture, the Franks had previously conquered almost the whole of Central Europe and established a great empire.
  During these raids, the Vikings plundered the ancient Roman cities of Cologne, Bonn, Xanten, Trier and also the imperial city of Aachen, in which Charlemagne was buried and on whose throne the Frankish kings were crowned in Aachen Cathedral. In addition to these cities, numerous monasteries were also destroyed, together with entire libraries in which collections of writings from several centuries had been preserved. This shook the essence of Frankish culture.
  Similar raids affected the Scandinavian regions where the Vikings had originally settled: the British Isles, Baltic Sea region, Russia and the Mediterranean region. Many inhabitants of the affected regions were carted off as slaves.
context_section_description: The King of East Francia, Louis III raised an army and rushed to help the Rhinelanders. On 20 January, the king died unexpectedly in Frankfurt, whereupon the army he led against the Vikings was disbanded. The Vikings then moved further up the Rhine. In the course of February and March 882 they attacked as far as Koblenz, pillaging and murdering, but the city was able to resist them thanks to strong fortifications dating back to Roman times. However, the lands outside its walls were devastated. At the same time, in Mainz, the dilapidated Roman walls were quickly fortified again and the citizens of Mainz began to dig a ditch around the city. The Vikings, however, did not move from Koblenz to Mainz, but sailed up the Moselle and reached the Trier countryside during Easter week.
  In Easter Week, 882, the Nordic raiders attacked and destroyed the monasteries, churches and farmsteads outside the city walls of Trier. The imperial monastery of St. Maximin and the abbeys of St. Martin and St. Symphorian, north of the ancient city wall, were destroyed; the latter never being rebuilt. The monastery of St. Paulinus was spared.
  On Maundy Thursday, 5 April, 882, the Vikings captured the city itself. After a few days of rest, they plundered Trier on Easter Sunday. Among their targets was Trier Cathedral. Regino of Prüm records numerous victims among the population, but Archbishop Bertulf of Trier managed to escape to Metz with a few of his followers. Afterwards, some of the Vikings went down the Moselle with their booty to Koblenz, while the rest marched on Metz.
  The Vikings advancing to Metz were met on 11 April 882 by an army led by the Bishop of Metz, Wala, the Archbishop of Trier, Bertulf, and Count Adalhard II of Metz in the Battle of Remich. The battle was won by the invaders and Bishop Wala fell on the battlefield, alongside many armoured knights and peasants. However, their violent resistance and resultant Viking casualties caused the invaders to turn back, and they retreated north through the Eifel towards their army encampment.
caption: The city gate of Porta Nigra in Trier. Despite its Roman fortifications, Trier was conquered twice by the Vikings.
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