Siege+of+Paris+885-886

This Siege of Paris was a Viking raid during King Charles the Fat’s reign. An estimated several hundred ships sailed up the Seine River in November 885. When the Vikings first arrived in Paris, they asked for payment to leave. The Viking army’s plan was to take the city’s riches and loot the monasteries, not to take over and occupy the capital. The Franks denied the Vikings’ request for payment so the Vikings continued the siege.

The Vikings were unable to defeat Paris at this time, and Paris successfully defended itself until Charles the Fat’s army arrived to help. A move disappointing to the weary defenders of Paris, King Charles did not fight the Vikings, but paid them 700 pounds of silver to continue up to the Seine River to ravage Burgundy.

The most significant result of the Viking siege was the end of the Carolingian dynasty of kings, and the beginning of a new dynasty, the Capetians.