[MR] Wikipedia: Siege of Paris, 845

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Vikings:

On this date in 845, Viking raiders who had sailed 120 ships up the Seine
began a siege of Paris. The raiders were led by "Reginherus", sometimes
identified with Ragnar Lodbrok. He was probably another Ragnar from Torhout
in Flanders. On the way uprover, the Vikings stopped off to trash Rouen,
and were hungry for more plunder.

Paris at that time was mostly just the Île de la Cité in the midst of the
river (where the Notre Dame Cathedral is today), and was not well defended.
After the island fell to the Vikings, Charles the Bald paid 7,000 French
livres of gold and silver for them to go away. Which they did, sort of.
They "visited" several other French towns on the way home.

Charles the Bald may have little choice to buy off Reginherus, but it set a
dangerous precedent. Later Vikings saw Paris and other Frankish cities as
easy pickings, and 12 additional raids had to be bought off. By 885 Paris
was well fortified, and was able to beat back the greatest Viking raid of
all.

More about the siege is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Paris_(845) .

The 885-886 siege is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Paris_(885–886) .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆