Spain has suffered invasion and conquest more than any other European country except perhaps Russia. The festival commemorates Galicia’s resistance to the Viking raids that took place there a more than 1,000 years ago, when the invaders tried to plunder the treasures of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This year there were actually six Viking longboats in the festival, a reflection of its growing popularity in the region. The boat, manned by townsfolk disguised as Viking warriors, stages a ferocious onslaught on the town which is successfully fended off by the other residents in a tussle that ends up with both sides soaked not in blood, but wine.Īfter the battle, both victors and Vikings share a traditional lunch of mussels and octopus, and perform the verbena, a traditional Galician dance. We wanted to share with you a good article about Spain and its Viking history.Įvery year, on the first Sunday in August, the replica of an 11th-century Viking longboat sails up the river Ulla to the town of Catoira in northern Spain. And, while the Roman, Visigothic, and Muslim legacies are still alive and well today, the medieval legacy of the Vikings in Spain is less well known. Spain has been subjected to more invasions and conquests than any other European country.

Danish longphort viking conquest