After 841 CE, Vikings transformed Dublin into a thriving seaport that dominated trade along Ireland’s eastern coast. By the 900s, raids brought captives, and the city’s quays became a notorious center for the slave trade. Control of Dublin meant access to wealth, fleets, and political influence, making it a prize for warring kings. The rise of Viking Dublin illustrates how commerce, conquest, and strategic location combined to shape power in medieval Ireland, leaving a legacy of both prosperity