Siege Of Chartres (911)
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The siege of Chartres took place in spring 911 during the age of
Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
incursions in Europe. The Viking leader, Rollo, and his men laid siege to the city of
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
, in
West Francia In medieval historiography, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () constitutes the initial stage of the Kingdom of France and extends from the year 843, from the Treaty of Verdun, to 987, the beginning of the Capet ...
. But they failed to achieve their goal before the arrival, in July 911, of a relief army sent to battle them. The engagement that ensued resulted in the defeat of the
Norsemen The Norsemen (or Northmen) were a cultural group in the Early Middle Ages, originating among speakers of Old Norse in Scandinavia. During the late eighth century, Scandinavians embarked on a Viking expansion, large-scale expansion in all direc ...
. Although, Viking raids were far from being a rare occurrence as the Frankish realms had to contend with such sudden incursions for decades, this one would prove to have everlasting consequences on European history. Following Rollo's defeat, the King of the West Franks,
Charles the Simple Charles III (17 September 879 – 7 October 929), called the Simple or the Straightforward (from the Latin ''Carolus Simplex''), was the king of West Francia from 898 until 922 and the king of Lotharingia from 911 until 919–923. He was a memb ...
, granted him a territory in the northern lands of his kingdom in exchange of an oath of fealty and his
religious conversion Religious conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. Thus "religious conversion" would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliatin ...
. This territory, located between the mouth of the
Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plat ...
and
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
, a city Rollo had previously raided and seized in 876, officially formed the
fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
known as the County of Rouen. This county, through
kinship In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
in the decades to come, would expand into what came to be known as the
Duchy of Normandy The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple, King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans. From 1066 until 1204, as a r ...
.


Prelude

Vikings had previously raided and burned down Chartres in 858. As a result, the town's defenses were rebuilt and strengthened. In the 53 years between the sieges, Chartres had been fortified with trapezoidal structure and had undergone no direct attacks. Rollo and his followers, who likely had been conducting a raiding campaign in north central West Francia launched the siege of Chartres in spring 911 (either April or May). The city defenders were led by a
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
named ''Gantelme''. In summer 911, he would be joined by a relief army under
Robert I of France Robert I ( – 15 June 923) was the elected King of West Francia from 922 to 923. Before his election to the throne he was Count of Poitiers, Count of Paris and Marquess, Marquis of Neustria and Orléans. He succeeded the overthrown Carolingian ...
, Richard, Duke of Burgundy, ''Ebles, Count of Poitiers'' and ''Manassès, Count of Dijon''.


Siege

Rollo initiated the siege by isolating the town and depriving it of resources. This was achieved by burning down the surrounding area. As for the siege itself, it seems to have been carried out initially by Rollo setting up camp in the Eure valley. In this way, the Norse chieftain ensured easy access to supplies and command of both banks of the little Eure river. They had also prepared mobile shelters but these would be rendered useless by the arrival of the relief army in July 911. As previously stated the fortified town of Chartres had the appearance of a trapezoid. One side, on the steep heights protected by the Eure River, was inaccessible. Two others, though less strong, still presented a natural defense. But the two valleys leading off from the Eure eventually reached the plateau at the point where the Place des Épars in Chartres is located today. This was the weak point, the attackable curtain wall, and probably the fortress wall re-established by the inhabitants of Chartres after the disaster of 858. The Norsemen attacked the town with the artillery of the time. Assaults were initiated to seize the city but little is known about the circumstances surrounding these attempts. It is, however, certain the Norsemen had failed to achieve their goal before the arrival of the relief army in July. The West Frankish forces were made up of Frenchmen,
Burgundians The Burgundians were an early Germanic peoples, Germanic tribe or group of tribes. They appeared east in the middle Rhine region in the third century AD, and were later moved west into the Roman Empire, in Roman Gaul, Gaul. In the first and seco ...
and Aquitanians. These troops had chosen a concentration point south-east of Chartres. Their primary leaders included Duke Robert, Duke Richard of Burgundy and Count Ebles of Poitiers. According to legend, Bishop Gantelme, dressed in his vestments as if to say mass, exposed the Virgin's
tunic A tunic is a garment for the torso, usually simple in style, reaching from the shoulders to a length somewhere between the hips and the ankles. It might have arm-sleeves, either short or full-length. Most forms have no fastenings. The name deri ...
(a holy relic supposedly worn by the
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
) on the
rampart Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department ** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...
s. The Norsemen had begun shooting arrows at the ecclesiastical group as soon as it appeared on the ramparts; but soon they fell blinded, and their leaders had no thought but to flee. Gantelme then ordered and led a sortie of iron-clad men who took the besiegers at their backs and finished enveloping them. In reality, the tunic may have simply served as a distraction for the town's garrison. The bishop appeared from the remparts, displaying the insignia of the Virgin's tunic. Then, the besieged troops, exiting through several gates, caught the Norsemen, who were struggling to cope with Robert's horsemen, on the back foot. The bulk of the Viking army, enveloped, was reduced to surrender and the highest-ranking of the Norsemen present taken prisoner. But Rollo, who had abandoned his men, was able to escape with a handful of his companions. Furious at his failure, he fled to Jeufosse and then returned to Rouen. He was followed by a small company, which had initially taken refuge in Lèves, but eventually managed to escape.


Aftermath

The victory at Chartres was followed by an attempt to convert the Norsemen of the lower valley of the Seine and the West Franks went further. The clergy, well inspired after the blow dealt to Rollo, had judged the moment favorable to enter into peace negotiations, which led to the famous Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte. The Norsemen had been formidable enough to persuade
Charles the Simple Charles III (17 September 879 – 7 October 929), called the Simple or the Straightforward (from the Latin ''Carolus Simplex''), was the king of West Francia from 898 until 922 and the king of Lotharingia from 911 until 919–923. He was a memb ...
that they might become valuable allies. The contemporary sources present, on the whole, serious difficulties, but it remains certain that a link exists between Robert's battle with Rollo and the latter's conversion to Christianity. In 1618 the Italian painter Padovanino painted a version of the event which now hangs in the
Pinacoteca di Brera The Pinacoteca di Brera ("Brera Art Gallery") is the main public gallery for paintings in Milan, Italy. It contains one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings from the 13th to the 20th century, an outgrowth of the cultural program of ...
.


Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte

The treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte was agreed on between Rollo and Charles the Simple, who met personally to discuss the terms. Rollo was granted the land around the mouth of the Seine and Rouen. This marked the establishment of what would become the
Duchy of Normandy The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple, King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans. From 1066 until 1204, as a r ...
and the genesis of the
Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
. In exchange of his new fief, Rollo swore loyalty to the King of West Francia, was baptized and promised to defend the Seine's estuary from other Viking raiders.


References

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Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
History of Eure-et-Loir 911 10th century in France Chartres Rollo
Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...