BattlefieldsNorse Raid on Gwent Coast 914
Early Medieval

Norse Raid on Gwent Coast 914

914
Newport, Wales
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Newport, Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Gwent coastal communities; Mercian relief payment
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Breton Norse fleet
Outcome
Norse raid on Gwent coast; Bishop Cameleac captured and ransomed for 40 pounds silver
The Battle

History & Significance

In 914 a large Norse fleet from Brittany raided the Severn estuary and landed on the south coast of Gwent. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that they captured Bishop Cameleac of Archenfield. Aethelflaed the Lady of the Mercians paid a ransom of forty pounds of silver to secure his release. The raid demonstrated that even the south-east coast of Wales was not immune to Norse seaborne attack through the Bristol Channel.

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