Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/201

 The Disruption of Qiarlemagne s Empire 165 and churches and church property were ruthlessly plun- dered. At last, the whole sum being finally brought together, the Franks assembled with a view of resisting the North- men should they break their pledges, but the Normans burned their camp and retreated from Amiens. . . . (885) [In December of this same year Carloman was acci- dentally killed while on a boar hunt.] As soon as Emperor Charles [the Fat] received tidings of this, he made a hasty journey and came to Pontion ; and all the men of Carlo- man's kingdom went to him there and submitted to his sway. . . . On the twenty-fifth of July the whole host of the North- men forced their way to Rheims. Their ships had not yet come, so they crossed the Seine in boats they found there, and quickly fortified themselves. The Franks followed them. All those who dwelt in Neustria and Burgundy gathered to make war upon the Northmen. But when they gave battle it befell that Ragnold, duke of Maine, was killed, with a few others. Therefore all the Franks retreated in great sorrow and accomplished nothing. Thereupon the rage of the Northmen was let loose upon the land. They thirsted for fire and slaughter ; they killed Christian people and took them captive and destroyed churches ; and no man could resist them. Again the Franks made ready to oppose them, not in battle, but by building fortifications to prevent the passage of their ships. They built a castle on the river Oise at the place which is now called Pontoise, and appointed Aletram- nus to guard it. Bishop Gauzelin fortified the city of Paris. In the month of November the Northmen entered the Oise, and besieged the castle the Franks had built. They cut off the water supply from the castle's garrison, for it depended on the river for water and had no other. Soon they who were shut up in the castle began to suffer for lack of water. What more need be said ? They surrendered on condition that they be allowed to go forth unharmed. After hostages had been exchanged, Aletramnus and his