| Keywords |
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| ID |
5923 |
| Text |
Chronicon (Regino abbatis Prumiensis) (900 - 908) Regino of Prüm |
| Quotation |
a. 867 Anno dominicae incarnationis DCCCLXVII. Nortmanni ora Ligeris fluminis occupantes Namnetensem, Andegavensem, Pictavensem atque Turonicam provintiam iterato crudeliter depopulari coeperunt ... |
| Translation |
a. 867 In the year of the Lord’s incarnation 867, the Northmen took over the mouth of the River Loire and began once more to plunder with great cruelty the areas of Nantes, Angers, Poitiers and Tours. Robert, who held the march, and Ranulf dux of Aquitaine gathered together many men and led a force against them. Realising that they were being pursued by an army, the Northmen retreated to their fleet in great haste. But when they saw the multitude of those chasing them was getting close, they realised that they could not get away and entered a certain village [villa] where they barricaded themselves in as well as they could in the time available. In that village there was a very large stone church into which most of the Northmen went along with their leader Hasting. Robert and Ranulf, along with their men, rushed in on them and without delay slaughtered any of them they found outside the church. When they reached the church they saw that it was a well-fortified place and observed that there was a considerable crowd of pagans hiding inside. After a short deliberation, since the sun was already setting, they set up an encircling camp and pitched tents so that the next day they might put up ramparts and use their siege engines to assault the enemy with all their might. Boiling in the great heat, Robert set aside his helmet and armour for a moment to cool down in the breeze; and while everyone was preoccupied with setting up the camp, the Northmen suddenly burst out of their fortification and with a great cry charged at Robert and his men. But although sudden and unexpected emergencies can upset even the bravest men in battle, they nevertheless grabbed their weapons as quickly as they could, manfully fought off the enemy and forced them, retreating, to withdraw to the church. Rushing into the attack without his helmet and armour, Robert was killed in the entrance of the church because he fought without enough care and pursued the enemy without restraint. His now lifeless body was dragged inside by the Northmen. Also Ranulf, who was standing some distance away and observing the outcome of the battle, was seriously wounded by an arrow fired by one of the Northmen from a window in the church. He was carried away from the battle by his men and survived for barely three days. With such unhappy misfortune was this battle begun and ended. After the loss of its leader, the army was filled with sorrow and doubt in equal measure and at that very hour they lifted the siege and went home. The Northmen jubilantly made for their fleet. |
| Quotation source |
Regino of Prüm, Chronicle a. 867, ed. Kurze (MGH), p. 92; trans. by Maclean p. 153 |
| Temporal Coverage |
866 - 867 |
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