All language subtitles for C o A W S01E01 The Siege of Paris By The Vikings 1080p NOW WEB-DL AAC2 0 H 264-RAWR_track3_[eng]

NARRATOR: Paris.

The scene of a battle that would
change the course of history

and seal the destiny of two peoples.

and seal the destiny of two peoples.

In the 9th century,
the Carolingians,

descendants of the great
Charlemagne, dominated Europe.

- (Romain Barbe speaks French)

- (Romain Barbe speaks French)

NARRATOR: But they were relentlessly
harassed by raiders

drawn to the Empire's riches:

the Vikings.

the Vikings.

- (clamouring)

NARRATOR: These men from the North
yearned for adventure and fortune.

With a string of wealthy merchants

With a string of wealthy merchants

and prosperous abbeys
along its banks,

the River Seine
was ripe for plunder.

First, though, the raiders
had to navigate Paris

and its fortified bridges.

Standing in their way were
two resolute adversaries:

Standing in their way were
two resolute adversaries:

Bishop Gauzlin, a man of faith,
bent on slaying the invading pagans,

and the young Count Odo of Paris,

and the young Count Odo of Paris,

who had no intention of making way

for the hundreds of
longboats looming on the horizon.

At the head of this armada
was Siegfried,

a warlord determined
to smash any resistance

from the Frankish citadel.

from the Frankish citadel.

Who were these warring Frankish
and Viking warriors bent on victory?

Who were these warring Frankish
and Viking warriors bent on victory?

(epic theme music)

(epic theme music)

NARRATOR: In the 9th century,

the Carolingian empire
of Charlemagne

the Carolingian empire
of Charlemagne

sought to bring order
to the whole of Europe.

Boasting the most powerful
army in the world,

the Franks had endless
stretches of borders to defend.

the Franks had endless
stretches of borders to defend.

And yet men from the north were
eager to challenge Frankish power,

successfully encroaching
deep into the territory

successfully encroaching
deep into the territory

and threatening Frankish domination.

The River Seine was a way in
for the Viking military forays

The River Seine was a way in
for the Viking military forays

into the vast Carolingian empire.

Its 770 kilometres
offered many rich pickings.

Its 770 kilometres
offered many rich pickings.

The waterway was a godsend
for Norse warriors.

- (battle cries, swords clink)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: 30,000 warriors set off
from recently conquered Rouen

in a huge operation with an
immense fleet of some 700 longboats.

in a huge operation with an
immense fleet of some 700 longboats.

The Viking expedition
was an ambitious undertaking.

The Viking expedition
was an ambitious undertaking.

The aim was to sail beyond Paris,

which they had already
besieged many times.

After navigating the Seine
for more than 80 years,

After navigating the Seine
for more than 80 years,

they were familiar with all its
loops and meanders.

- (speaks French)

(menacing music)

NARRATOR: Having weighed up
the danger posed by the raiders,

NARRATOR: Having weighed up
the danger posed by the raiders,

Charles the Bald,
Frankish emperor until 877,

began a series of construction works
to counter the threat.

began a series of construction works
to counter the threat.

Here, for example,
at Pont de l'Arche,

where the rivers
Eure and Seine meet.

where the rivers
Eure and Seine meet.

This was an obligatory
transit point for the Vikings,

and it was here
that Charlemagne's grandson

decided to erect a bridge
to impede the pagans.

decided to erect a bridge
to impede the pagans.

It was a remarkable construction.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:
Construction took almost 15 years

and represented a major
feat of engineering.

and represented a major
feat of engineering.

- (Jacques Le Maho speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Carolingians managed
to restore calm along the Seine.

NARRATOR: The Carolingians managed
to restore calm along the Seine.

Their military and forging skills
were the envy of all...

including the men from the north,

who even adopted their battledress.

- (hammer clangs steadily)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Carolingian weaponry
was the most sophisticated

NARRATOR: Carolingian weaponry
was the most sophisticated

in all of Europe.

- (hammer clangs)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:
The peace proved to be short-lived.

The Viking armada,
led by Siegfried, was relentless.

The Viking armada,
led by Siegfried, was relentless.

The men also boasted a major asset:

their longboats.

their longboats.

- (speaks French)

- (horn bellows)

NARRATOR: The relentless drive of
the Viking epic was extraordinary.

The soldiers were in all likelihood
ordinary merchants and adventurers,

eager to enrich themselves
at the expense of their neighbours.

eager to enrich themselves
at the expense of their neighbours.

We paid a visit to archaeologist
Morten Ravn at Roskilde in Denmark,

We paid a visit to archaeologist
Morten Ravn at Roskilde in Denmark,

to better understand
how the Norsemen

tackled the voyage
up the River Seine.

In particular, the secrets of their
longboats known as Drakkars.

In particular, the secrets of their
longboats known as Drakkars.

The fearsome vessels
were without question

one of the keys to their success.

Still today, the art of these
peerless Viking shipbuilders

Still today, the art of these
peerless Viking shipbuilders

is the subject of close study.

- The ship type
behind me right here,

which is a medium-sized longship,

is quite similar to the types

is quite similar to the types

which the Vikings
would have used for their

military campaigns and operations

when the Vikings
attacked and sieged Paris

when the Vikings
attacked and sieged Paris

in 1885-1886.

The Vikings evolved
their boat-building.

The Vikings evolved
their boat-building.

These ships of the Vikings
were really the high-tech product.

This was where all the innovation

and all the skilful
craftsmanship was put into.

and all the skilful
craftsmanship was put into.

These ship types here
could both be powered

by the use of a sail,

but it could also be powered
by rowing power;

but it could also be powered
by rowing power;

by the men rowing the ship.

This means that
they were not dependant

on the wind and weather direction
so much, at least.

on the wind and weather direction
so much, at least.

They could even row against the wind
with these ship types here.

They would also be
navigating rivers,

They would also be
navigating rivers,

where sometimes it can be
difficult to use the sail.

They could sail quickly,

they didn't go
that deep into the water,

so they could go in shallow waters.

so they could go in shallow waters.

Europe was connected by the sea,

so this was the fastest way
of transporting

so this was the fastest way
of transporting

people and cargo was the waterways.

And the Vikings were specialised
in this, were experts in this.

And the Vikings were specialised
in this, were experts in this.

NARRATOR: To unlock the construction
secrets of these mythical vessels,

naval engineer, Martin Dael,

naval engineer, Martin Dael,

uses Viking methods
to recreate their longboats.

He uses ancestral techniques
for his experimental archaeology.

One Norse tool in particular
is ubiquitous...

One Norse tool in particular
is ubiquitous...

the axe... in all its forms.

- They are lightly built,

so they are built
out of really good material,

so they are built
out of really good material,

typically oak that's cleaved out

and that technique is that
you follow the grain in the fibre.

and that technique is that
you follow the grain in the fibre.

When you use wooden wedges
to cleave out a big oak tree,

get one of these guys to work...

You cleave it down to a 16th,
approximately,

and you chop it down with an axe

and the you see
it starts cracking and...

and the you see
it starts cracking and...

you just need to follow that.

And you have a really nice
piece of material

And you have a really nice
piece of material

that is light and flexible.

And as you can see,
when you cleave it out like this,

And as you can see,
when you cleave it out like this,

it's really, really thin out here.

It's super flexible and strong

and I'm, what,
85 kilos and it's still...

and I'm, what,
85 kilos and it's still...

not breaking.

And that's why you can
go fast in a row boat.

- (crow caws)

- (crow caws)

- When you put it in water,

the wood expands,
and puts pressure on.

the wood expands,
and puts pressure on.

But these are holding up,
so it tightens up in that way.

And in between all the seams,

you have sheep's wool in between,

you have sheep's wool in between,

so that's what waterproof
was used, too.

- (clanging)

NARRATOR: Thanks to their
flexible and manoeuvrable boats,

NARRATOR: Thanks to their
flexible and manoeuvrable boats,

the Norsemen were able to navigate
the seas to faraway lands.

(epic music)

(epic music)

They routinely journeyed several
thousand kilometres from home.

Expeditions became a way of life.

Expeditions became a way of life.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Trading gradually gave way

to much more profitable
pillaging raids.

The Norsemen looted
everything in their path.

The Norsemen looted
everything in their path.

To satisfy their insatiable
lust for riches,

they were forced
to venture even further inland,

they were forced
to venture even further inland,

seeking out territories previously
regarded as out of reach.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: These expeditions into the
far-flung heart of enemy territory

called for a greater
degree of organisation.

The Norse raids
called for careful planning.

The Norse raids
called for careful planning.

- (Joelle Delacroix speaks French)

- (Joelle Delacroix speaks French)

NARRATOR:
Three months after leaving Rouen,

with several bridges destroyed,

Siegfried and his Vikings

Siegfried and his Vikings

were homing in
on their objective - Burgundy.

One final obstacle
lay in their path:

Paris, the nerve centre
of West Francia.

Paris, the nerve centre
of West Francia.

The people of Paris feared
these barbarians from the north,

who reached the Ile de la Cite
in November 885.

Preparations had been
made for their arrival.

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

- (Pierre Bouet speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Frankish capital
had lost some of its influence.

However, two men had a lot
of ambition for the city:

However, two men had a lot
of ambition for the city:

Bishop Gauzlin...

and Count Odo of Paris.

and Count Odo of Paris.

As guarantors for the authority
of the Carolingian Emperor,

they had no intention
of being dictated to

they had no intention
of being dictated to

by these lawless Norsemen.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Joel Supery speaks French)

NARRATOR: The other figure
was a young man in his thirties...

NARRATOR: The other figure
was a young man in his thirties...

Count Odo of Paris.

In tandem with the Church,

he represented the other facet
of Carolingian power:

he represented the other facet
of Carolingian power:

the aristocracy.

Hailing from a long line of Franks,

Odo's family became famous

Odo's family became famous

thanks to his father,
Robert the Strong,

a man who imposed himself against
the Vikings on many occasions

before succumbing in 866

before succumbing in 866

in yet another battle
against the Norsemen.

From then on,
the family was referred to

as the Robertians.

as the Robertians.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Fully aware that
the two men would oppose him,

Siegfried was planning
a show of strength

with his 30,000 armed men.

with his 30,000 armed men.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Ever since
the Treaty of Verdun in 843,

NARRATOR: Ever since
the Treaty of Verdun in 843,

Charlemagne's empire
had been crumbling,

plagued by the internal struggles

between the kings of West Francia,

between the kings of West Francia,

Lotharingia, and Germanic Francia.

Increasingly, the aristocracy
and the great Carolingian lords

Increasingly, the aristocracy
and the great Carolingian lords

were beginning to assert
their authority.

The safety of Parisians depended
on the resolve of Odo and Gauzlin.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: They called
on the population to take refuge

within the walls
of the Ile de la Cite,

and closed the gates,

and closed the gates,

stopping Siegfried's hordes
in their tracks.

(tense music)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: The two Paris bridges
blocked the Norse ships' passage.

- (clamouring)

NARRATOR: From the Chatelet side,
where the Vikings struck,

the Franks could launch crossfire
with stones and arrows.

the Franks could launch crossfire
with stones and arrows.

The outlook, however, seemed grim.

- (speaks French)

- (horn bellows)

- (horn bellows)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

NARRATOR:
Under orders from Count Odo,

the Franks set up their defences.

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

NARRATOR: Caught in a pincer
by the two towers,

the longboats were trapped.

the longboats were trapped.

Foot soldiers on the ground

could not attack
the Chatelet fortification

protected by its moats.

The bridge, meanwhile,
was protected by archers.

The bridge, meanwhile,
was protected by archers.

The Vikings were being kept at bay.
But they were not done yet.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: During the night,
the Franks managed to reinforce

NARRATOR: During the night,
the Franks managed to reinforce

the tower's defences.
As well as raising its height,

they added hoardings
as defence platforms.

Historian, Christine Laborde,

who works at
the castle of Castelnau,

is familiar with these
defence techniques.

is familiar with these
defence techniques.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:
In this month of November 885,

clashes between
the Vikings and Franks

continued for another two days.

continued for another two days.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: It was impossible
for the Vikings to access the door

or the top of the walls.

Their attack was foundering.

For the time being,
Paris was resisting the Norse army.

For the time being,
Paris was resisting the Norse army.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Having expected to take
the city within just a few hours,

after three days of fighting,

Siegfried was forced
into a change of strategy.

Siegfried was forced
into a change of strategy.

He withdrew his army

and set up camp a few hundred metres
from the Ile de la Cite

and set up camp a few hundred metres
from the Ile de la Cite

beside the church
of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois.

His intention was to dig in for the
winter and prepare a new attack.

His intention was to dig in for the
winter and prepare a new attack.

The date was November 29th 885.

Paris was now under siege.

Paris was now under siege.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Every day, 30,000 men
had to be fed and kept busy.

NARRATOR: Every day, 30,000 men
had to be fed and kept busy.

For the Vikings, besieging the city
was a costly enterprise.

But they used their commando-style
combat technique

to sustain themselves.

No town in the area surrounding
Paris was spared the Viking terror.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (clamouring)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Laying siege
to Paris for two months,

they used their weapons and
longboats to sack the entire region.

they used their weapons and
longboats to sack the entire region.

And they always knew exactly where
the riches were to be found.

- (church bells toll)

- (church bells toll)

- (Joel Supery speaks French)

NARRATOR:
While Siegfried and his men

could gleefully plunder
the surrounding area,

they were powerless
against the city walls.

they were powerless
against the city walls.

Lacking siege weapons,
such as the mangonel,

to break down the Frankish defences,

Vikings had to find
a different strategy.

Vikings had to find
a different strategy.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Renaud Beffeyte
is an expert in poliorcetics,

NARRATOR: Renaud Beffeyte
is an expert in poliorcetics,

the art of siege warfare.

These passionate carpenters

know every technical detail
of these devastating machines.

know every technical detail
of these devastating machines.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: For two months,
the Norsemen built catapults,

mangonels, and battering rams,

building up an armoury
to meet the challenge of a siege.

building up an armoury
to meet the challenge of a siege.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:
Siegfried's military strategy

NARRATOR:
Siegfried's military strategy

was to scatter Frankish resistance

by attacking on several fronts.

- (battle cries)

- (battle cries)

NARRATOR:
The Vikings were now convinced

they had everything they needed
to defeat the Parisians.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Vikings had taken
some ingenious measures

NARRATOR: The Vikings had taken
some ingenious measures

to ensure their precious weapons
were not reduced to ashes.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Refusing to accept defeat,

after three days and three nights
of hard struggle,

Siegfried risked everything.

Siegfried risked everything.

- (Levesque speaks French)

- (Joelle Delecroix speaks French)

NARRATOR:
After five months of siege,

the Vikings had still not
managed to breach the defences.

While Paris had resisted,
it was being strangled.

While Paris had resisted,
it was being strangled.

- (Joel Supery speaks French)

- (rats squeak)

- (rats squeak)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: In this clash
between pagans and Christians,

NARRATOR: In this clash
between pagans and Christians,

morale was at its lowest
ebb among the residents of Paris.

Their hopes and faith
were pinned on Bishop Gauzlin.

Their hopes and faith
were pinned on Bishop Gauzlin.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: But on April 17th 886,

NARRATOR: But on April 17th 886,

tragedy struck, turning the tide
in the Norsemen's favour.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: In June 886,

the Count of Paris returned
with troops to defend his city.

the Count of Paris returned
with troops to defend his city.

But it was another two long months

before the Emperor and King
of the Franks, Charles the Fat,

before the Emperor and King
of the Franks, Charles the Fat,

finally arrived
at the gates of Paris.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Joel Supery speaks French)

- (Joel Supery speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Emperor seemed to be
anything but the man of providence

NARRATOR: The Emperor seemed to be
anything but the man of providence

Odo was hoping for.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Pierre Bouet speaks French)

NARRATOR: For the people of Paris,
it was an inexplicable decision.

NARRATOR: For the people of Paris,
it was an inexplicable decision.

- (Lucie Malbos speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (Pierre Bouet speaks French)

NARRATOR: With cracks beginning
to appear in the Empire,

NARRATOR: With cracks beginning
to appear in the Empire,

the great Frankish aristocrats
decided to assert their power.

Emperor Charles the Fat
was deposed in 887

Emperor Charles the Fat
was deposed in 887

but remained King of West Francia
until his death a year later.

The power of the Carolingians
was wavering,

as new ambitions
began to take shape.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: His determination
in the face of the Norse incursion

was celebrated
at Versailles in 1837

was celebrated
at Versailles in 1837

by King Louis-Philippe of France.

He opened a gallery
in the south wing of the château,

where great battles that marked
the history of France

are commemorated
in a series of 33 imposing canvases.

Count Odo of Paris is honoured
there as a national figure.

- (Emilie Badel speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Paris, though,
remained a target for raids

by the men from the north.

In 911, Rollo,
the new Norse strongman,

In 911, Rollo,
the new Norse strongman,

wreaked havoc
all along the River Seine.

To counter the raids,

the King of Francia was forced
to adopt a new approach.

the King of Francia was forced
to adopt a new approach.

- (speaks French)

- (birds chirping)

- (birds chirping)

NARRATOR: Rollo would become Robert,

first Count of Normandy.

first Count of Normandy.

Before long, Normandy -

land of the north
and now of the Vikings -

would be the birthplace
of William the Conqueror,

would be the birthplace
of William the Conqueror,

the future king of England.

(epic theme music)

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