The Viking Siege of Paris

This is the detailed story of the Vikings'' expedition to conquer medieval Paris - a brutal year-long siege which ultimately brought about the foundation of modern France.

The Vikings'' siege of Paris in 885¿86 was a turning point in the history of both Paris and France. In 885, a year after Charles the Fat was crowned King of the Franks, Danish Vikings sailed up the Seine demanding tribute. The Franks'' refusal prompted the Vikings to lay siege to Paris, which was initially defended by only 200 men under Odo, Count of Paris, and seemingly in a poor state to defend against the Viking warriors in their fleet of hundreds of longships.

Paris was centered around the medieval ¿e de la Cit¿the natural island now in the heart of the city, fortified with bridges and towers. The Vikings attempted to break the Parisian defenders, but the city itself still held out, and after a year Charles'' army arrived to lift the siege. But Charles then allowed the Vikings to sail upst