Ch 47: Immigrant

This trouble stemmed from the Anglo-Saxons, or more precisely, a group of Anglo-Saxon Farmers who had returned.

Two years ago, the Viking Army conquered York, killing King Eilaud and the Queen. Northumbria welcomed a new ruler. Upon hearing this shocking news, many residents fled. Tyne, located in the Northern Border, saw nearly a quarter of its peasants escape to the Picts’ territory.

As time passed, these refugees gradually received news from their homeland. It seemed the new lord was not as cruel and bloodthirsty as anticipated. The taxes were not much different from those of the old lord, and he even married the daughter of an Anglo-Saxon gentleman.

Yearning for home, most refugees were unwilling to continue enduring their dependent lives, and thus gradually moved south.

Unfortunately, when these people returned to their original villages, they found their farmland had been occupied by fellow villagers, and their houses had become cattle sheds where their neighbors raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks, resulting in a foul stench. This led to a series of conflicts.

From mid-June onwards, more and more Anglo-Saxons gathered in front of Tyne’s gate, requesting Lord Vig to uphold justice.

From a moral standpoint, Vig should have ruled that the villagers who stayed behind return the land and compensate for the losses.

But from a utilitarian perspective, the villagers who remained had paid him taxes, while these refugees had provided nothing. Vig had no obligation to protect the latter.

After a private discussion with Herigifu, Vig summoned the gentlemen and village heads within his territory on June 30th, asking them to devise a suitable method.

“Since the summer, the number of refugees has gradually increased. Nearly a thousand people have gathered near Tyne, seriously affecting my mood. Ultimately, you caused this trouble. Quickly find a solution; don’t force me to take action myself.”

Taking advantage of being Vig’s mother-in-law, Ilis spoke first: “Sir, this is against the rules! They actively abandoned their land and fled north, and they did not pay taxes last year. According to tradition, this farmland has become ownerless. Why should it be returned to them?”

Since someone was willing to take the lead, the others spoke up one after another. Fat Squire Harry’s reason was the most persuasive.

“Sir, this land was not privately appropriated by us; each household has a share. Some obtained farmhouses, some obtained land, and other villagers divided up pots, pans, and other furniture. This has become a fait accompli; you don’t need to upset everyone because of a small group of people.”

“Yes, since they went to the Picts’ land, they should have honestly become Picts. Why did they come back?”

“Drive them back!”

The noise gradually subsided. Vig, with a gloomy face, said: “Since you are unwilling to return the land, I have come up with another method: organize these refugees to reclaim new land on the south bank of the River Tyne.”

Hearing that they didn’t need to return the land, the gentlemen and village heads’ faces instantly brightened. Before they could praise the lord’s wisdom, Vig suddenly left his seat, his tone laced with undisguised killing intent.

“However, during the two-year reclamation period, the place from where the refugees came should provide for them. After you return to your villages, discuss this carefully. Those who divided the land should contribute more, and those who divided the farmhouses should contribute less, but you must gather enough grain and livestock.”

Vig walked past each person, looking directly into their eyes. “Remember, you have gained an advantage, don’t expect me to bear the cost. If someone is slow to pay, then this matter will become very difficult.”

Undoubtedly, in this feast of dividing the refugees’ estates, the gentlemen, village heads, and small landowners benefited the most. It is estimated that they possessed one-third of the farmland and livestock. They got the benefits, and they themselves bore the trouble. Is there such an unfair thing in the world?

Vig was very angry. He had these people hastily eat a meal of fish soup and bread, then sent them away.

Before leaving, Ilis did not forget to invite Herigifu: “When you have time, come home and see. Horsa has been missing you.”

“I’m quite busy lately. I’ll talk about it later.” Herigifu saw her mother off, returned to her study, and found her husband. “Micham is currently tabulating the origins of the refugees. It’s expected to be completed within two days. He asked me to come and ask you, how much land should each household receive?”

“The old rule, thirty acres.”

Vig didn’t bother to care about this aspect. Once the registration was completed, he used ships to transport the refugees to the south bank. There were a total of over nine hundred refugees, about two hundred households. They were evenly divided into two villages. At his request, the newly reclaimed land must use the three-field system.

In fact, there was still a large expanse of land on the north bank waiting to be reclaimed. The reason Vig went to the trouble of sending people to the south bank was that he ultimately dared not trust these people. If they, under the instigation of certain people, launched a rebellion, he would have the River Tyne as a barrier, allowing him to gain enough reaction time.

In his plan, he would try to settle Vikings on the north bank of the River Tyne to guard his hideout. As for those Anglo-Saxons who gradually returned from the north, they would all be settled on the south bank.

Over the next half month, the necessary supplies were gradually sent from various manors and villages. Although the refugees were unhappy, they had to accept reality and devote all their energy to building new homes and reclaiming wasteland. There were still two months until winter wheat planting; they must seize the time to complete the preparatory work.

Vig predicted that the same number of refugees would return in the future. When the population on the south bank of the River Tyne became increasingly prosperous, he could consider building a pontoon bridge.

In the following days, he explored the terrain on both banks. Sometimes he would chat with the refugees. He inadvertently learned about his sister Brita’s whereabouts.

Six years ago, in AD 839, his sister’s second husband, Helgi, was persuaded by a friend to settle in Britain. The couple had since been out of contact. Vig could not suppress his excitement and asked in a trembling voice, “Are you sure?”

Faced with the lord’s unusual behavior, the refugee’s tone was slightly flustered. “Uh, while working in Edinburgh, I often heard my employer complain about the Vikings on the northwest coast. Among them was a chieftain named Helgi, who had a wife named Brita.”

Hearing this answer, Vig inquired about Helgi among the refugees. He learned that the latter mainly operated on the northwest coast of Scotland, where islands were numerous, and many small Viking settlements were scattered. Recently, Helgi had also joined with other Viking chieftains to form an Island Alliance, a grand show of force.

Confirming that his sister and brother-in-law were still alive, Vig was overjoyed. He led twenty shield-bearers to visit them, and incidentally, to inquire about the situation of the Island Alliance. One day, if he used his troops in the north, he might be able to buy them as mercenaries.

Choosing a light and sturdy oak longship, Vig sailed north along the coastline, sometimes encountering Viking fishermen on the sea.

Based on the information they provided, Vig learned Helgi’s specific location—the Isle of Skye, an island in the northwest direction of Scotland.