Siege of Paris (845)
The Frankish Empire first felt the threat of Viking raiders in 799, a decade after the earliest known attack at Portland in Dorset. Charlemagne responded by creating a defense system along the northern coast in 810 to protect his realm. This system successfully repulsed an attack at the mouth of the Seine in 820, but it failed against renewed Danish raids in Frisia and Dorestad in 834. Systematic raiding did not begin until the mid-830s when activity alternated between both sides of the English Channel. Large raids occurred in Antwerp and Noirmoutier in 836, followed by attacks on Rouen in 841 and Quentovic and Nantes in 842. These incursions were often part of struggles among Scandinavian nobility for power and status. The Danes took advantage of civil wars within France during the 830s and early 840s to launch these large-scale operations.
In March 845, a fleet of 120 Viking ships carrying more than 5,000 men entered the Seine under the command of Reginherus. Historical sources tentatively identify this Norse chieftain with the legendary saga figure Ragnar Lodbrok. Around 841, Reginherus had been awarded land in Turholt, Flanders, by King Charles the Bald before losing that favor. The Vikings raided Rouen on their way up the river toward Paris. Charles assembled an army divided into two parts to defend each side of the river. He was determined to prevent the destruction of the royal Abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris. The Frankish forces proved smaller and less effective against the invading Norse warriors who moved with speed and purpose along the waterway.
The Vikings attacked and defeated one division of the Frankish army, taking 111 prisoners whom they hanged on an island in the Seine. This act honored the Norse god Odin and incited terror among remaining Frankish forces. They arrived in Paris on Easter Sunday, the 29th of March, entering the city to plunder it. During the siege, a plague broke out within their camp. The Franks could not assemble an effective defense to stop the occupation. The Vikings withdrew only after receiving a ransom payment from Charles. The city was concentrated on Île de la Cité during this period, making it a strategic target for those controlling the river.
A plague broke out in the Viking camp while they occupied Paris during the spring of 845. The Norse had been exposed to the Christian religion before falling ill. After first praying to their own gods, they undertook a fast based on advice from one of their Christian prisoners. The plague subsided following this religious observance. Ragnar later attributed the disease to the power of Saint Germain of Paris according to stories from Count Cobbo's embassy. He reportedly collapsed crying when relating that the only resistance he met came from the long-deceased saint. Several of his men died shortly after the event, frightening King Horik enough to order executions of survivors.
Charles paid a ransom of 7,000 livres of gold and silver to secure the Viking departure from Paris. This substantial sum may have served as compensation for Reginherus's earlier loss of land in Turholt. It marked the first of 13 payments known as danegeld made by the Franks to Viking raiders. While agreeing to withdraw, the Viking army pillaged several sites along the coast including the Abbey of Saint Bertin. Charles faced criticism for granting the large payment but dealt with other critical issues like disputes with his brothers and regional revolts. Paying them off bought time and possibly peace from further raids at least in the near future.
The same year a Viking fleet sacked Hamburg which had been elevated to an archbishopric by Pope Gregory IV in 831. King Louis the German of East Francia sent a diplomatic mission headed by Count Cobbo to Danish King Horik. Horik agreed to terms and requested a peace treaty while promising to return treasure and captives from the raid. The treaty demanded Horik's obedience secured by regular embassies and gifts sent to Louis. Horik suspended support to Viking raiders likely because he faced conflict with King Olof of Sweden and domestic struggles. Vikings returned again and again in the 860s to secure loot or ransom before the city walls held against their greatest force in 885-886.
Common questions
Who commanded the Viking fleet during the siege of Paris in 845?
Reginherus commanded the fleet of 120 ships carrying over 5,000 men. Historical sources tentatively identify this Norse chieftain with the legendary saga figure Ragnar Lodbrok.
When did the Vikings arrive in Paris during the siege of 845?
The Vikings arrived in Paris on Easter Sunday the 29th of March 845. They entered the city to plunder it after defeating one division of the Frankish army along the Seine.
How much ransom did Charles the Bald pay to end the siege of Paris in 845?
Charles paid a ransom of 7,000 livres of gold and silver to secure the Viking departure from Paris. This substantial sum marked the first of 13 payments known as danegeld made by the Franks to Viking raiders.
Why did the plague break out in the Viking camp during the spring of 845?
A plague broke out within the Viking camp while they occupied Paris during the spring of 845. The Norse had been exposed to the Christian religion before falling ill and later attributed the disease to the power of Saint Germain of Paris.
Where was the Frankish army divided to defend against the Viking fleet in 845?
King Charles assembled an army divided into two parts to defend each side of the river Seine. He was determined to prevent the destruction of the royal Abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris.
All sources
1 references cited across the entry
- 1citationA Sacred Kingdom: Bishops and the Rise of Frankish Kingship, 300–850Michael E. Moore — Catholic University of America Press — 2011