The Viking Siege of Paris: How Ragnar Lothbrok Changed Europe

In this episode, we strip away the later sagas and focus on the concrete historical event that cemented Ragnar Lothbrok’s legend: the siege of Paris in 845. We explore the primary source, the Annals of St. Bertin, which records the appearance of a massive fleet led by a chieftain named Regnherus. Unlike previous raids, this attack targeted the heart of the Carolingian Empire, forcing King Charles the Bald to pay a massive Danegeld of seven thousand livres of silver. We examine the political landscape of West Francia at the time, the strategic importance of the Seine river for Viking logistics, and how this specific event shifted the perception of Vikings from coastal raiders to existential threats against European kingdoms. The conversation also touches on the archaeological evidence from this period and why the name 'Regnherus' is widely accepted by historians as the historical core of the Ragnar figure.

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