As their longboats approached the settlement of Rouen the next morning, it was obvious that many people were trying to escape the settlement. With so many longboats filling the river on the approach to Rouen, the fear in the city was palpable.
“Look at them flee,” snorted Halfdan in disgust.
“Just remember, before we pillage the city, we first kill the men and then loot the buildings. Remember as well, that the women and children will be our greatest treasure here. Don’t kill any women or children. Raping will be allowed in good time, but only when the battle is won, not until then. Do you understand? I will kill any man who defies my commands.”
~
The men approached the town’s wooden gates, killing those men who had been caught outside of the gates before the gates were closed against the approaching Norsemen. No warrior stopped to engage in senseless slaughter of women and children, or those too old to be a threat. Still, screams of fear soon filled the air. Fear was doing the work of causing those behind the walls to panic. They believed that the same fate would soon befall them. It had been a generation since the last Nordic invaders had terrorized the town.
Blood sprayed as axes and swords carved a path towards the front gates of Rouen. Rollo’s men didn’t slow their march though they were sorely tempted. They followed Rollo’s instructions and strode purposely forward, with the mass of their fourteen hundred warriors arrayed in deep ranks
While Halfdan threatened from the front, Rollo and Thórólfr led a small contingent of men away from the gates, circling to the left, just inside the tree line so that they couldn’t be easily seen. Rollo was certain that all eyes would be directed at the large invading army at the front gates. Rollo knew that the town’s defences would be strongest facing the river. He was equally as certain that the weakest point would be on the opposite wall with the forest just behind it.
Rollo spotted a small gate and knew this would be the best way into the town. Too late, with the first hammer blows shattering the gate, the defenders realised that their enemy would be coming through their back door. The hammers worked to destroy the gate and a sizable portion of the wall. The screams of fear filled the air within the walls as more than a hundred Vikings rushed through the opening.
The defenders were caught in a bind. Should they rush to defend against the smaller force that had broken in through the back gate, the main force before the main gate would then batter down that gate. That indecision was all that it took for Rollo and his smaller band to rush through the dirt lanes towards the main gates, killing as they went.
Less than two hours later, Rollo’s men had killed most of the able-bodied defenders, though a few did escape, including the military commander of the town who had gone to seek help from the military leader of the Breton March, Hugh the Abbot.
“Why’d you let them escape?” asked Halfdan. “We could have caught them.”
“Think, Halfdan. They will bring more men back with them. Then, we’ll kill them too. Well, almost all of them. And then, it’ll be time for me to bargain with whomever is left alive.”
“Why bargain at all?”
“Why for the land itself. I have explained this to you before. We’ begin to carve out our new home right here. It all begins here in Rouen. We will control more land and will be bigger and richer than my father’s Kingdom of the Western Isles.”
* * *
The final battle had been waged and as he had predicted, Rollo stood victorious. Surprisingly, the loss of Norsemen had been far less than expected. And, that fact had been celebrated by his men who now had treasure a-plenty. As with all major battles between the forces of the Norse and the Franks, the victor would claim spoils. Rollo met with Hugh the Abbot in one of the churches, which had been spared.
“The King will pay handsomely for your retreat from Rouen,” Hugh said, as the post-battle negotiations began.
“I know that King Charles is an honourable man. However, I don’t seek to leave this table with thousands of pounds of silver and gold. I have a different kind of reward in mind.”
“Pray tell,” Hugh uttered in surprise. “Not gold and silver?”
“Of course, gold and silver, at least some gold and silver. After all, my men need to be given some spoils of war. I only want enough coinage to satisfy their immediate hunger. Rather than gold and silver for my share, I want land, this land and this city. In return, I will prevent other Norsemen from attacking Francia through the lands the King will cede to me.”
Hugh paled hearing the demands given by Rollo. He knew that King Charles needed these latest incursions into Francia to be stopped. The King didn’t have the forces to compel the Vikings to cease raiding and despoiling his country. Hugh sent a trusted messenger, with a protective company of soldiers, to the King with Rollo’s demands.
“And now, Lord Rollo, we will wait to hear back from the King. And, as promised, your men will stand down.”
“Of course, Lord Hugh. After all, if things go as they should, we will soon be neighbours.”
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