Ragnar Lothbrok and the Viking Siege of Paris 885-886

In this episode, we explore the lesser-known second Viking siege of Paris in 885-886, which unfolded decades after Ragnar Lothbrok's famous 845 raid. While Ragnar's attack was a swift, lucrative hit-and-run, the 885-886 siege became an epic nine-month standoff that reshaped West Frankish defenses and Viking tactics. We examine the role of Count Odo of Paris, who led the city's defense and later became king; the massive Viking fleet of over 700 ships under Sigfred and Sinric; and the Carolingian emperor Charles the Fat's controversial decision to pay tribute and let the Vikings ravage Burgundy. This episode also touches on how the siege influenced the construction of the Grand Pont and the evolution of Frankish fortifications, as well as its literary depiction in the epic poem 'Abbon's Bella Parisiacae Urbis'. A turning point in Viking warfare and Carolingian politics.

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