888-912 Geilo. 888 888 June 24. Montfau defeated by Eudes. Had he persevered, he might perhaps have maintained himself as King of Burgundy, but disheartened by his unpopularity, Guido abandoned France and returned to Italy, where, in his first campaign, he defeated his late confederate, but now rival, Berenger. Eudes Capet may be admired as the type of a preud chevalier when preux chevaliers were none, courteous, honourable and winning: kind, and merciful if he thought that kindness and gentleness would answer, but firm, even harsh, in dealing with his political opponents. Archbishop Fulco now strenuously endeavoured to aid Arnolph so also Rodolph, Count-Abbot of Saint Vedast, and Baudouin-le-Chauve. Arnolph did not hasten to accept the invitation; but Eudes was willing to strengthen his own authority by acknowledging Arnolph's honorary suzerainty; and the King of Germany did not attempt any hostile operations against the Capet. Eudes therefore was the more at liberty to Battle of do his duty in defending France against the con. Danes Northmen. It was for this duty that he had been exalted to the throne. On Midsummerday he encountered the Danes at Montfauconen-Argonne. Some suppose that Rollo engaged in this battle. The Franks reckoned the Capetian squadrons at one thousand, the Danish army at nineteen thousand. Such colloquial estimates must simply be accepted as rude approximations, 888 vaguely indicating the relative proportions of 888-912 the hostile forces. Eudes, displaying great personal prowess, was nearly cut down by the battle-axe of a Dane with whom he engaged in single combat, but he triumphed equally as a Champion and as a General, and acquired great glory. Eudes put the Northmen to flight seven times, and defeated them nine,—thus was it said or sung-the passage in the chronicle containing this commendation seems to be a quotation or fragment translated from some popular ballad. Montfaucon-en-Argonne told much in favour of Eudes. Hitherto he had been but grudgingly acknowledged in Belgic Gaul, where the Vermandois interest prevailed, but now he greatly increased in power. He exercised his prerogatives boldly and broadly. If an Abbey became vacant, King Eudes conferred the preferment upon some tough worthy blade, or kept the good thing himself. Thus did he treat the first which fell in, the Abbey of Saint Denis; and he confiscated the "honours" of his gainsayers whenever he had the power. Baudouin-le-Chauve performed homage. Other Nobles, north of the Loire, tacitly submitted. Arnolph graciously sent Eudes Eudes a royal crown, with which on Saint Brice's crowned at day he was again solemnly inaugurated and proclaimed King. No consecration or further ecclesiastical confirmation seems to have been asked 888 13 Nov. again Rheims. VOL. I. TT 888-912 or required; and Eudes granted a general am nesty. 888-889 Aquitaine, however, was still unsettled; and Rainulph submits to of Poitiers Eudes, the Christmas festivities being over, reEudes. paired thither with a small train of Frankish soldiers. Rainulph humbled himself, and resigned his transient crown; but that nominal crown was far less an object of suspicion than the child Charles-le- whom he had in charge-Charles, the infant son produced. of Ansgarda. How this child of sorrow came Simple under the guardianship of Count Rainulph, we know not, but there he was; and all who saw the boy were struck with his likeness to Louisle-Bégue his father, that father who had never beheld the babe, destined to humiliation, contempt and misfortune. The little Charles was presented to Eudes, Eudes concealed his vexation; and Rainulph, clearing himself by oath of all accusations, professed himself a liege-man of the Capet. Neither the submission nor the oath of any of those who had become the homagers of Eudes amounted, however, to more than contrivances for saving appearances; and hardly so much. Amidst all changes, trials, triumphs, vicissitudes and misfortunes, the destructive spirit of untruth continued to possess the Carlovingian Empire with unabated pertinacity. Old England won her national character upon Runnymede; Lombard history dates from the field of Roncaglia; but 889 the Franks, high or low, clergy and laity, were 888-912 all the representatives of the Luegen-feld. Archbishop Fulco and Baudouin-le-Chauve, and Herbert of Vermandois, and Pepin of Senlis, and the Burgundian Richard, and William of Auvergne, and Rainulph of Poitou, only endured the domination of Eudes till they could rid themselves of him. Some individuals might be friendly to Eudes if convenient, but every man considered it his paramount duty to consult his own interest by all means in his power: oaths, promises, and engagements disappeared whenever occasion required. The Danes resume their § 8. We now revert to the Northmen, 889-891 always keeping in mind the concurrent plague of the Magyars, their hordes rapidly approaching attacks. and bearing down against Germany and Italy, and the Saracens disporting in the Southern regions, occupying the Alpine passes, despoiling pilgrims on their way to Saint Peter's shrine. Danish detachments continued about Paris, and they were numerous in the Seine-country, where Eudes was compelled to leave them undisturbed the rayon of the Frankish operations was always very short: Eudes could only prosecute a confined and partial warfare. They spread themselves in all directions. Whilst Eudes was in Poitou, vast numbers ravaged other parts of the Loire-country, Burgundy also, and threatened Paris quite as formidably as before. In these incursions we vaguely discern the form of 889-891 Méaux 888-912 Rollo; but the narrative is perplexed, and the more difficult to unravel, because at this period. there were besides him two or three Rollos afloat, a Rodo or Rollo also called Hunedeus, and a Rotland or Rollo, the son of Oskytel or Ketil : our hero however soon appears more distinctly, and Botho, his faithful friend and the friend of 888-889 his yet unborn children, joins him. Méaux was besieged besieged by Rollo. Count Theutbert and most of his soldiers, who defended the place valiantly, were slain by the Danish missiles. Upon Count Theutbert's death, Bishop Sigmund took the command. This bold Prelate walled up the gates, enclosing a worse enemy than the Danes-famine. The starved inhabitants surrendered, the Northmen promising to allow them to depart safely; but when they came forth, the Northmen seized them, and burned the city. and taken by the Danes. 889-890 Northmen siege Paris. The battle of Montfaucon, instead of depressagain being the Danish audacity, stimulated them to further exertions. Again they presented themselves before Paris. They pitched their tents, and recommenced a regular siege. the second siege of Paris. This may be called But the genius of Charles-le-Chauve kept them off; they could not make way through walls and bridge and bastilles; and after spending their strength in vain, they retreated. So much the worse for the Marne The third country, Lorraine and Champagne: Troyes had to pay the reckoning for Paris. When they 890 Siege of |