Haesten

Hastein (Icelandic: Hásteinn) (also recorded as Anstign, Haesten, Hæsten, Hæstenn or Hæsting and alias Alsting) was a notable Viking chieftain of the late 9th century who made several raiding voyages.

Little is known of Hastein's early life. He is described as a Dane in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

He is said to have participated in raids on the island of Noirmoutier during 834–835.

Hastein is credited with being involved with various raids on the Frankish Empire but is probably most famous for jointly leading a great raid into the Mediterranean in 859.

For indeed the Frankish nation, which was crushed by the avenger Anstign [Hastein], was very full of filthy uncleanness. Treasonous and oath-breaking, they were deservedly condemned; unbelievers and faithless, they were justly punished ... Dudo of St. Quentin's. Gesta Normannorum. Book 1. Chapter 3.

During 859–862, Hastein jointly led an expedition with Björn Ironside. A fleet of 62 ships sailed from the Loire to raid countries in the Mediterranean.

At first the raiding did not go well, with Hastein being defeated by the Asturians and later the Muslims of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba at Niebla in 859. Success followed with the sacking of Algeciras, where the mosque was burned, and then the ravaging of Mazimma in the Idrisid Caliphate on the north coast of Africa, followed by further raids into the Umayyad Caliphate at Orihuela, the Balearic Islands and Roussillon.

Hastein and Björn wintered at Camargue island on the mouth of the Rhone before ravaging Narbonne, Nîmes and Arles, then as far north as Valence, before moving onto Italy. There they attacked the city of Luna. Believing it to be Rome, Hastein had his men carry him to the gate and tell the guards he was dying and wished to convert to Christianity. Once inside, he was taken to the town's church where he received the sacraments, before jumping from his stretcher and leading his men in a sack of the town. Another account has him wanting to convert before he dies and the following day feigns death. The city then lets 50 robed men come in for his burial all of which had swords under their robes. Hastein then jumps from his coffin and chops off the religious leaders heads on the way to sacking the city. As might be imagined, the veracity of this is much debated. He sailed down the coast and sacked Pisa and, sailing on the River Arno, Hastein ravaged Fiesole. The fleet then possibly raided Byzantine Empire sites in the eastern Mediterranean.

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