Viking Raids on Noirmoutier and Antwerp (836): Intensification of Norse Attacks

By 836, Danish Viking raids on the Carolingian Empire escalate, targeting key coastal and riverine settlements. That year, they burn and pillage Noirmoutier and Antwerp, demonstrating their ability to strike deep into Frankish territories.

Noirmoutier: A Target for Repeated Viking Raids

• Noirmoutier, an island monastery off the Atlantic coast of France, had already suffered Viking attacks since 799.
• The monastery of Saint Philibert becomes one of the first continental European monastic sites repeatedly targeted due to its wealth and exposed location.
• In 836, Vikings burn the monastery, forcing the monks to relocate their relics and treasures inland—a pattern that will repeat in later years.