The West Franks Pay the Danes to Expel the Norse from Noirmoutier (861): A Costly Strategy

By 861, the Viking threat in West Francia has become so severe that Charles the Bald resorts to hiring one group of Norsemen to expel another, following a pattern of Carolingian reliance on Viking factions to counter rival Norse forces.

The Viking Occupation of Noirmoutier

• Noirmoutier, an island off the Atlantic coast of West Francia, had been a Viking stronghold for decades, serving as a base for raids on the Loire Valley.
• Despite previous attempts to dislodge them, the Vikings continued to use Noirmoutier as a permanent raiding and wintering site, posing a significant threat to Frankish trade and settlements.

The West Franks’ Payment to the Danes

• Instead of mounting a military campaign, Charles the Bald chooses to bribe a Danish Viking faction to remove their Norse rivals from Noirmoutier.
• The Franks pay the Danes a staggering 5,000 pounds of silver, a sum that underscores:
  • The desperation of the Carolingians to contain the Viking threat.
  • The growing political complexity of Viking warfare, where Norse factions could be manipulated for strategic purposes.

The Danes Expel the Norse from Noirmoutier (861)

• With Frankish funding, the Danish Vikings successfully drive out their Norse rivals from Noirmoutier.
• However, this does not eliminate the Viking threat—it merely reconfigures Norse power dynamics in West Francia.
• The Danes, now enriched, could easily turn against their Frankish employers once the silver runs out.

Consequences of the 861 Bribe

• Temporary Relief, Long-Term Weakness → Though the Danes remove the Norse from Noirmoutier, the strategy does not end Viking incursions; instead, it sets a precedent for future tribute payments (Danegeld).
• Continued Frankish Dependence on Norse Mercenaries → Charles the Bald and his successors will repeatedly rely on Viking factions to counteract other Viking groups, a tactic that proves unsustainable.
• Shift in Viking Focus → The expelled Norse forces are not defeated, only displaced. Many relocate to other bases along the Loire and Seine, continuing to plunder Frankish lands.

The 861 payment to the Danes to remove the Norse from Noirmoutier illustrates the Carolingian monarchy’s growing inability to defend itself militarily, marking another step toward the long-term feudal decentralization of West Francia.