Naval Battles

Although the Vikings were renowned seafarers they did not like fighting at sea. Where such battles did take place the tactic was to sail close to the enemy and lash the two ships together so that hand to hand fighting could take place as if they were on land.

When the Vikings first appeared off the coasts of the British Isles there was no comparable fleet of vessels to protect the shores. This was a real weakness as seaborne raiders could move faster than the defenders on the land, and could also strike without warning and then retreat to sea before they could be engaged.

In response to this threat Alfred the Great commenced a ship building programme to provide Wessex with a means of effectively defending itself against seaborne threats.

In 896 off the coast of Hampshire three Viking ships became trapped in faulty moorings allowing Alfred's navy to destroy them.