Siege of Chartres
Painting of the siege, 1618, byPadovanino
Date July 20, 911[a] Location Chartres,West Francia (now inEure-et-Loir, France) 48°27′22″N1°29′02″E / 48.456°N 1.484°E /48.456; 1.484 Result West Frankish victory Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte Rollo is granted lands in northern France in exchange of an oath offealty, religious conversion and a pledge to defend theSeine's estuary from Viking raiders Territorial changes The County of Rouen is established
Belligerents
West Franks	Vikings
Commanders and leaders
Robert I of France Richard, Duke of Burgundy Bishop Gantelme Ebles, Count of Poitiers Manassès, Count of Dijon	Rollo
Strength
8,000	20,000
Casualties and losses
Light	At least 1,600 killed in the fighting with Robert's heavy cavalry[1] Unknown wounded Most of the army captured

Thesiege of Chartres took place in spring 911 during the age ofViking incursions in Europe. The Viking leader,Rollo, and his men laid siege to the city ofChartres, inWest Francia. 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 theNorsemen. Although, Vikingraids were far from being a rare occurrence as theFrankish 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, granted him a territory in the northern lands of his kingdom in exchange of an oath offealty and hisreligious conversion. This territory, located between the mouth of theSeine andRouen, a city Rollo had previously raided and seized in 876, officially formed thefief known as theCounty of Rouen.^[2] This county, throughkinship in the decades to come, would expand into what came to be known as theDuchy of Normandy.

Vikings had previously raided and burned down Chartres in 858.^[3] 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.^[4] 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).^[5] The city defenders were led by abishop namedGantelme.^[6] In summer 911, he would be joined by a relief army underRobert I of France,Richard, Duke of Burgundy,Ebles, Count of Poitiers andManassès, Count of Dijon.^[7]

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 littleEure river.^[8] They had also prepared mobile shelters but these would be rendered useless by the arrival of the relief army in July 911.^[9] 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.^[10] 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.^[11] 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.^[12]

The Norsemen attacked the town with the artillery of the time.^[13] 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,^[b]Burgundians andAquitanians. 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.^[14]

According to legend, Bishop Gantelme, dressed in his vestments as if to say mass, exposed the Virgin'stunic (a holy relic supposedly worn by theVirgin Mary) on theramparts. 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.^[15] 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'shorsemen, on the back foot.^[16] The bulk of the Viking army, enveloped, was reduced to surrender and the highest-ranking of the Norsemen present taken prisoner.^[17]

But Rollo, who had abandoned his men, was able to escape with a handful of his companions. Furious at his failure, he fled toJeufosse and then returned to Rouen. He was followed by a small company, which had initially taken refuge inLèves, but eventually managed to escape.^[18]

The victory at Chartres was followed by an attempt to convert the Norsemen of the lower valley of the Seine^[19] 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 famousTreaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte.^[20][21] The Norsemen had been formidable enough to persuadeCharles the Simple that they might become valuable allies.^[22] 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.^[23]

In 1618 the Italian painterPadovanino painted a version of the event which now hangs in thePinacoteca di Brera.^[24]

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 theDuchy of Normandy and the genesis of theNormans.^[25] In exchange of his new fief, Rollo swore loyalty to the King of West Francia, wasbaptized and promised to defend the Seine's estuary from other Viking raiders.

• Sieges of the Middle Ages
• Battles involving France
• Battles involving the Vikings
• Military history of Centre-Val de Loire
• History of Eure-et-Loir
• 911
• 10th century in France
• Chartres
• Rollo
• 910s conflicts

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