Hedeby (Old Norse: Haithabu Latin: Heidiba) was a settlement and trading center on the southern Baltic Sea coast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of a narrow, navigable inlet, the Schlei in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany. The name means "the town on the heath".
It was the biggest Nordic city during the Viking age and is regarded as Denmark's 2nd oldest city. Denmark lost the territory on which Hedeby lay, to Germany in 1864.
Haithabu was a Danish settlement built around 770. It was surrounded on all land sides by an earthwork, which was part of Danevirke. In the 9th century a second settlement developed north and at the Haithabu creek inbetween. At the end of the 9th century the northern and southern part were abandoned for the central section. Later a 9 meter (about 27 foot) high ring wall was erected.
It became a principal market because of its geographical location on the major trade routes between Germany and Scandinavia, and between the Baltic and the North Sea. Between 800 and 1000 the growing economic power of the Vikings who held it at this time led to its dramatic expansion as a major trading center. As Adam of Bremen reports, ships were sent from this portus maritimus to the Slavian areas, to Sweden, Samland (Semlant) and even Greece. It was the seat of a bishop and belonged to the archbishop of Hamburg and Bremen.
In the 10th century, it was under Swedish rule. The town was sacked in 1050 by king Harold Hardrada of Norway during the course of a conflict with king Sweyn II of Denmark: a Norwegian skald, himself quoted by Snorri Sturluson, describes the sack as follows:
- Burnt in anger from end to end was Hedeby [..]
- High rose the flames from the houses when, before dawn, I stood upon the stronghold's arm
After Haithabu had been burned down by Harold, it was in 1066 plundered by Slavs. The inhabitants moved to Schleswig and Haithabu was abandoned.
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