Ragnar's Sons: The Siege of Paris and the Raven Banner

We return to the Great Heathen Army, focusing on the pivotal moment when Ivarr inn beinlausi, Halfdan Ragnaldson, and Ubba Ragnarsson turned their attention south to Frankia. After years of ravaging England and establishing the Danelaw, these sons of Lothbrok sought greater wealth and political leverage in the heart of Charlemagne’s fractured empire. This episode examines the 845 CE siege of Paris under King Charles the Bald, a campaign that forced the first major Danegeld payments from a Frankish monarch. We explore how the Viking commanders used both military pressure and diplomatic cunning to extract massive amounts of silver, setting a precedent for future interactions between Vikings and European royalty. By analyzing the Annals of St. Bertin and Saxo Grammaticus, we distinguish between the legendary feats of Ragnar himself and the very real, documented successes of his sons. You will hear about the strategic importance of the Seine, the role of Count Odo in the city's defense, and how this specific event reshaped Viking strategy across Western Europe.

#RagnarLothbrok #GreatHeathenArmy #SiegeOfParis #CharlesTheBald #IvarrinnBeinlausi #HalfdanRagnaldson #UbbaRagnarsson #Danegeld #AnnalsOfStBertin #GestaDanorum #VikingHistory #FrankishEmpire #MedievalWarfare #Northmen #Danelaw #SeineRiver #CountOdo #FexingoHistory

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