In the year 860 the Vikings strike

The Vikings couldn't resist the city's riches. In 860 they plundered Constantinople for the first time. They cut down everything that stood in their way, set fire to churches and houses, plundered and robbed. The emperor was forced to offer them some gold so that the citizens would be left in peace. Later the emperor had to pay the Vikings tribute for many years in order to avoid further plundering. But he didn't trust them very much anyway. If they wanted to trade in the city they had to go through a certain gate followed by the emperor's men. They had to leave their weapons outside the city walls and couldn't be more than 50 at a time.