The Viking siege of Paris : longships raid the Seine, AD 885-86 / Si Sheppard.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sheppard, Si, 1972- author.

Series:

Raid

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Military campaigns.

France.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (81 pages)

Place of Publication:

London, England ; New York, New York : Bloomsbury Publishing, [2022]

Summary:

The Vikings' siege of Paris in 885-86 was a turning point in the history of both Paris and France. In 885, a year after Charles the Fat was crowned King of the Franks, Danish Vikings sailed up the Seine demanding tribute. The Franks' refusal prompted the Vikings to lay siege to Paris, which was initially defended by only 200 men under Odo, Count of Paris, and seemingly in a poor state to defend against the Viking warriors in their fleet of hundreds of longships.Paris was centred around the medieval Île de la Cité, the natural island now in the heart of the city, fortified with bridges and towers. The Vikings attempted to break the Parisian defenders, but the city itself still held out, and after a year Charles' army arrived to lift the siege. But Charles then allowed the Vikings to sail upstream against the revolting Burgundians. Outraged at this betrayal, the Parisians refused to let the Vikings return home via the Seine, forcing them to portage their boats overland to the Marne in order to reach the North Sea. When Charles died in 888, the people of the of the Île de France elected Odo as their king. The resistance of Paris therefore marked the end of the Carolingian line and the birth of a new kingdom.This fully illustrated volume, accompanied with maps and strategic diagrams tells the full story of the Vikings' expedition to conquer medieval Paris, highlighting a key moment in the history of France and its foundation as a nation.

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Introduction

Origins

Faith

Weapons and warriors

Initial Strategy

The fury of the Northmen

The Plan

The battle of the bridges

The supreme test

The Siege Of Paris

The medieval city on the Seine

The Vikings arrive

Pillaging

The siege

Beyond the bridges

Charles the Fat's relief force

The Vikings move on

Aftermath

Conclusion

Further Reading

Index

Imprint.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Sheppard, Si The Viking Siege of Paris

ISBN:

1-4728-4570-6

1-4728-4567-6

OCLC:

1267763014