WEBVTT 00:00:00.297 --> 00:00:01.400 (intense music) 00:00:01.400 --> 00:00:03.740 Our history is no more than a series 00:00:03.740 --> 00:00:05.590 of incredible events. 00:00:05.590 --> 00:00:08.071 Every one of us can influence its course. 00:00:08.071 --> 00:00:10.738 (intense music) 00:00:18.757 --> 00:00:20.070 (speaks in foreign language) 00:00:20.070 --> 00:00:25.070 (crowd cheering) (rock music) 00:00:29.968 --> 00:00:32.120 The most infinitesimal of our decisions 00:00:32.120 --> 00:00:35.070 can influence the future of humanity. 00:00:35.070 --> 00:00:38.060 To know the past is to foresee the future. 00:00:38.060 --> 00:00:40.971 Paris, Sunday July 27th, 1214. 00:00:40.971 --> 00:00:41.880 (bell rings) 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:44.360 At the sound of the Notre Dame Cathedral bells, 00:00:44.360 --> 00:00:47.240 the Parisian crowd attends the sacred coronation 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:48.770 of Conrad The Great, 00:00:48.770 --> 00:00:51.340 the head of the most powerful state in Europe, 00:00:51.340 --> 00:00:53.197 the Holy Roman Empire. 00:00:53.197 --> 00:00:55.620 (suspenseful music) 00:00:55.620 --> 00:00:58.870 Four centuries earlier, the horrible sacking of Paris 00:00:58.870 --> 00:01:00.690 opened the realm to the Vikings 00:01:00.690 --> 00:01:03.613 and precipitated the collapse of the Frankish Empire. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:07.950 Taking advantage of the chaos, the German kings claimed 00:01:07.950 --> 00:01:09.710 the former Frank territories, 00:01:09.710 --> 00:01:13.310 one by one from The Alps to The Atlantic. 00:01:13.310 --> 00:01:16.510 Conrad IV completes the work of his ancestors, 00:01:16.510 --> 00:01:18.340 rebuilding the almighty state 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:20.233 to the level of the Roman Empire. 00:01:20.233 --> 00:01:22.290 (suspenseful music) 00:01:22.290 --> 00:01:24.910 But none of that ever happened. 00:01:24.910 --> 00:01:27.660 In 886, a small grain of sand 00:01:27.660 --> 00:01:30.190 decided the outcome of the siege on Paris 00:01:30.190 --> 00:01:32.717 and allowed the Frankish Kingdom to survive. 00:01:32.717 --> 00:01:35.717 (suspenseful music) 00:01:38.820 --> 00:01:41.240 June 8th, 793. 00:01:41.240 --> 00:01:44.010 The peaceful Lindisfarne Monastery is the target 00:01:44.010 --> 00:01:47.740 of a raid by men from the north, the Vikings. 00:01:47.740 --> 00:01:50.360 November 24th, 885. 00:01:50.360 --> 00:01:54.100 From Paris, several hundred Viking warships 00:01:54.100 --> 00:01:55.283 are seen arriving. 00:01:57.300 --> 00:02:01.850 911, Rollo, a powerful Viking chief 00:02:01.850 --> 00:02:05.223 is granted land in Normandy by the king of the Franks. 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:10.480 These three inextricably linked events are the key moments 00:02:10.480 --> 00:02:13.350 of Scandinavian incursions into Europe, 00:02:13.350 --> 00:02:17.269 better known as The Viking Age. 00:02:17.269 --> 00:02:19.230 (metal screeching) (birds cawing) 00:02:19.230 --> 00:02:23.405 Spring 507, Battle of Vouille. 00:02:23.405 --> 00:02:26.180 (men screaming) 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:28.570 Clovis, king of the Franks 00:02:28.570 --> 00:02:30.813 comes to crush the Visigoth Army. 00:02:33.730 --> 00:02:36.889 The warrior king is conquering all of Gaul. 00:02:36.889 --> 00:02:39.889 (suspenseful music) 00:02:41.870 --> 00:02:44.150 At the end of the Western Roman Empire, 00:02:44.150 --> 00:02:46.610 numerous Germanic peoples took control 00:02:46.610 --> 00:02:48.853 over the former Imperial provinces. 00:02:50.490 --> 00:02:51.970 Among them, the Franks 00:02:51.970 --> 00:02:55.234 were particularly ambitious and ferocious. 00:02:55.234 --> 00:02:56.480 (soldier grunts) 00:02:56.480 --> 00:02:59.320 Originally pagans, they converted to Christianity 00:02:59.320 --> 00:03:01.770 under the impetus of King Clovis. 00:03:01.770 --> 00:03:03.630 This conversion made it easier for them 00:03:03.630 --> 00:03:05.410 to join the Gallo-Roman elites 00:03:05.410 --> 00:03:07.180 who where profoundly Christian. 00:03:07.180 --> 00:03:10.180 (suspenseful music) 00:03:12.710 --> 00:03:15.480 Two centuries later, there kingdom extends 00:03:15.480 --> 00:03:17.623 from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:24.500 In 768, Charles I is crowned King of the Franks, 00:03:24.500 --> 00:03:27.800 outstanding politician and excellent warlord. 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:31.350 His reign is a long series of conquests. 00:03:31.350 --> 00:03:33.563 He quickly dominates Western Europe. 00:03:34.450 --> 00:03:37.513 His kingdom is transformed into an empire. 00:03:38.690 --> 00:03:42.230 Charles I becomes Charles the Great. 00:03:42.230 --> 00:03:45.163 In Latin, Carolus Magnus, Charlemagne. 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:49.350 (speaking in foreign language) 00:03:49.350 --> 00:03:52.160 The empire is significantly reorganized. 00:03:52.160 --> 00:03:55.300 Many administrative reforms consolidate power. 00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:57.651 Ancient knowledge shines again. 00:03:57.651 --> 00:04:00.450 (suspenseful music) 00:04:00.450 --> 00:04:04.000 In 800, when the Pope crowns him emperor in Rome, 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:06.933 all the Roman commander seems to be resuscitated. 00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:11.120 The Franks, once pagan, 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:13.383 become the protectors of Christianity. 00:04:15.470 --> 00:04:17.180 At the height of its power, 00:04:17.180 --> 00:04:19.803 the Carolingian Empire is invincible. 00:04:21.060 --> 00:04:23.893 No one seems capable of challenging it. 00:04:27.480 --> 00:04:30.130 Welcome to the memory of humanity. 00:04:33.130 --> 00:04:36.770 Every historical event, regardless of how small 00:04:36.770 --> 00:04:38.880 is recorded and connected. 00:04:38.880 --> 00:04:42.663 You only need to change one to upset all the others. 00:04:43.590 --> 00:04:46.080 Here, we are able to control time, 00:04:46.080 --> 00:04:48.300 analyze and compare billions of events 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:51.766 in order to rewrite history in infinite ways. 00:04:51.766 --> 00:04:55.000 (suspenseful music) 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.670 The Franks were no strangers to the Romans. 00:04:57.670 --> 00:04:59.570 Quite the opposite. 00:04:59.570 --> 00:05:02.230 These Germanic people emigrated extensively 00:05:02.230 --> 00:05:04.710 during the third century of the Roman Empire 00:05:04.710 --> 00:05:07.930 and the period of The Great Migrations. 00:05:07.930 --> 00:05:10.540 Although the Romans began by resisting, 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:13.830 they ended up granting them statuses better rated people. 00:05:13.830 --> 00:05:16.700 In exchange for territory within the empire, 00:05:16.700 --> 00:05:18.360 the Franks agreed to serve 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:21.330 and defended against new invasions. 00:05:21.330 --> 00:05:25.330 The invaders became loyal defenders. 00:05:25.330 --> 00:05:28.590 At the fall of the empire, the Franks conserved the remains 00:05:28.590 --> 00:05:30.700 of the Imperial administration 00:05:30.700 --> 00:05:33.430 and inducted Gallo-Roman customs. 00:05:33.430 --> 00:05:37.803 The two societies fused to become something new. 00:05:39.189 --> 00:05:43.510 (bell ringing) (birds chirping) 00:05:43.510 --> 00:05:46.385 June 8th, 793. 00:05:46.385 --> 00:05:47.350 (people chattering) 00:05:47.350 --> 00:05:51.946 Lindisfarne Monastery, off the coast of England. 00:05:51.946 --> 00:05:56.910 (people speaking in foreign language) 00:05:56.910 --> 00:06:00.250 After appearing out of the midst aboard strange ships, 00:06:00.250 --> 00:06:02.510 a band of warriors commits the sacrilege 00:06:02.510 --> 00:06:04.453 of attacking men of the cloth. 00:06:05.410 --> 00:06:08.890 They will leave soon, their arms laden with booty 00:06:08.890 --> 00:06:12.330 after having profaned the sacred ground of the monastery 00:06:12.330 --> 00:06:14.704 and stripped its altars of ornaments. 00:06:14.704 --> 00:06:17.730 (suspenseful music) 00:06:17.730 --> 00:06:21.930 For the European Kingdom, this attack is a sad omen. 00:06:21.930 --> 00:06:25.400 This announces a new epoch, a new age, 00:06:25.400 --> 00:06:27.001 the Age of the Vikings. 00:06:27.001 --> 00:06:30.001 (suspenseful music) 00:06:32.507 --> 00:06:35.174 (men screaming) 00:06:37.565 --> 00:06:40.565 (suspenseful music) 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:52.110 Scandinavia, an immense territory 00:06:52.110 --> 00:06:54.150 in the eyes of the Arctic Circle 00:06:54.150 --> 00:06:57.193 is progressively colonized by the Germanic people. 00:06:59.220 --> 00:07:02.200 The numerous rivers that flown into the deep fjords 00:07:02.200 --> 00:07:05.165 soon could rise to an important maritime culture. 00:07:05.165 --> 00:07:07.720 (ominous music) 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:11.233 At the end of the eight century, commercial ports emerge. 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.240 Seal's skins, walrus' tusks, and slaves 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:16.983 are exchange as currency. 00:07:17.880 --> 00:07:20.894 Relations with the kingdoms of Europe start developing. 00:07:20.894 --> 00:07:23.850 (ominous music) 00:07:23.850 --> 00:07:26.050 These splintered territories 00:07:26.050 --> 00:07:28.663 see a distinct political structure emerging. 00:07:29.840 --> 00:07:31.720 The Scandinavian society 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:33.963 is built around charismatic leaders. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:38.810 Fight bravely and bathe the men in riches. 00:07:38.810 --> 00:07:41.563 This is what the Vikings expected from their leaders. 00:07:43.050 --> 00:07:44.940 The very nature of this system 00:07:44.940 --> 00:07:46.850 encourages fierce competitiveness 00:07:46.850 --> 00:07:48.910 and is often the source of instability. 00:07:48.910 --> 00:07:51.600 (men shouting in foreign language) 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.310 In the 9th century, many of them decide to tempt fate 00:07:55.310 --> 00:07:58.170 and embark on perilous maritime expeditions 00:07:58.170 --> 00:08:00.053 in search of fortune and fame. 00:08:02.730 --> 00:08:05.200 This is how Scandinavians going east, 00:08:05.200 --> 00:08:06.870 in search of new trade routes, 00:08:06.870 --> 00:08:10.873 find themselves on the rivers of Constantinople or Baghdad. 00:08:10.873 --> 00:08:14.200 (ominous music) 00:08:14.200 --> 00:08:16.920 Other men called Rus settled in 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.563 and created what will become known as Russia. 00:08:20.810 --> 00:08:24.340 In 870, other expeditions colonized Iceland 00:08:24.340 --> 00:08:26.220 and then Greenland. 00:08:26.220 --> 00:08:28.000 Some tribes even voyaged as far 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.240 as the new Finland, North America, 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:33.103 500 years before Christopher Columbus. 00:08:35.400 --> 00:08:38.410 Progressively, these ambitious explorers notice 00:08:38.410 --> 00:08:41.053 the weaknesses of the Western European kingdoms. 00:08:42.290 --> 00:08:45.433 Their armies cannot protect the entire region. 00:08:47.910 --> 00:08:51.293 The rich monasteries are completely devoid of defenses. 00:08:53.070 --> 00:08:56.910 For these adventurers, that is all the convincing they need 00:08:56.910 --> 00:08:59.083 to switch from trading to pillaging. 00:09:00.889 --> 00:09:02.190 (transitions to suspenseful music) 00:09:02.190 --> 00:09:04.300 Riders of the sea. 00:09:04.300 --> 00:09:06.320 For many people, the word Viking 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.300 refers to blood-thirsty pillagers. 00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:12.250 However, in ancient Scandinavian, 00:09:12.250 --> 00:09:15.320 the word Viking referred to maritime expeditions 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:17.230 in search of riches. 00:09:17.230 --> 00:09:20.673 It designated an activity, not a group of people. 00:09:21.760 --> 00:09:24.780 One was not born a Viking, one became a Viking 00:09:24.780 --> 00:09:27.050 by going on an expedition, 00:09:27.050 --> 00:09:30.363 just like one became a pirate by engaging in piracy. 00:09:31.630 --> 00:09:34.400 A Viking could just as easily have been a craftsman, 00:09:34.400 --> 00:09:38.470 as a fighter, a fisherman, or a rich land owner. 00:09:38.470 --> 00:09:42.350 Not all of the Viking ships had a dragon-shaped prow, 00:09:42.350 --> 00:09:47.350 however, these marine vessels all shared a unique structure. 00:09:47.450 --> 00:09:50.900 The Scandinavians used the term Langskip 00:09:50.900 --> 00:09:54.450 when referring to them, meaning longship. 00:09:54.450 --> 00:09:57.800 With an average capacity of 70 armed men, 00:09:57.800 --> 00:10:01.120 these flat-bottomed, light, yet sturdy ships, 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:04.330 equipped with rowing ventures could go in the shallow waters 00:10:04.330 --> 00:10:06.610 of any river and could even be carried 00:10:06.610 --> 00:10:08.333 from one river to the next. 00:10:09.310 --> 00:10:12.680 With large and resilient sails, these boats allowed 00:10:12.680 --> 00:10:16.550 competent seafarers to confront the furies of the ocean. 00:10:16.550 --> 00:10:19.340 These boats provided the Vikings with their main source 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:24.340 of strength, speed, and the element of surprise. 00:10:24.670 --> 00:10:27.837 On the water, they were illusive. 00:10:27.837 --> 00:10:30.837 (suspenseful music) 00:10:31.900 --> 00:10:33.670 Ready and crouching in the bottom 00:10:33.670 --> 00:10:34.540 of their boat. 00:10:34.540 --> 00:10:36.520 After sneaking up the river under the fog 00:10:36.520 --> 00:10:38.220 of the morning midst, 00:10:38.220 --> 00:10:41.086 the Viking warriors await the signal of their leader. 00:10:41.086 --> 00:10:44.086 (suspenseful music) 00:10:46.340 --> 00:10:48.763 No one in the village saw the boat approaching. 00:10:50.010 --> 00:10:52.760 The pagan devils seemed to becoming straight from hell. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:57.973 The bells widely sound the alarm but it is too late. 00:11:00.736 --> 00:11:03.903 (villagers screaming) 00:11:07.940 --> 00:11:11.330 Using rivers to move quickly, small groups pf warriors 00:11:11.330 --> 00:11:13.853 launch deep raids into unprepared realms. 00:11:15.610 --> 00:11:17.560 By the time help arrives, 00:11:17.560 --> 00:11:19.900 the Viking bands have already left, 00:11:19.900 --> 00:11:21.890 taking booty and prisoners with them 00:11:21.890 --> 00:11:23.993 as they look for their next easy prey. 00:11:23.993 --> 00:11:26.630 (men screaming) 00:11:26.630 --> 00:11:28.120 A Scandinavian plague 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:30.623 falls across the Saxon Kingdoms of Great Britain. 00:11:31.950 --> 00:11:35.860 They land in Ireland and attacked the Frankish coasts. 00:11:35.860 --> 00:11:38.830 No court, no monastery is safe. 00:11:38.830 --> 00:11:41.810 Wherever there are poorly defended riches to be had, 00:11:41.810 --> 00:11:43.493 the men from the North descend. 00:11:44.830 --> 00:11:47.990 Just after the first incursions, Charlemagne responds 00:11:47.990 --> 00:11:51.710 by establishing a coastal defense system for the empire. 00:11:51.710 --> 00:11:54.380 The Master of Europe does not fear plunderers. 00:11:54.380 --> 00:11:57.270 He waits for them with weapons in his hand. 00:11:57.270 --> 00:12:00.710 His son, Louis the Pious maintains the defenses 00:12:00.710 --> 00:12:04.170 established by his father for many more years. 00:12:04.170 --> 00:12:08.340 But upon his death in 840, the Frankish Empire is divided. 00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:10.190 Frankish law states that the empire 00:12:10.190 --> 00:12:13.280 must be divided among the late king's sons. 00:12:13.280 --> 00:12:17.200 This initiates an extended and complex period of problems 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.050 for the Frankish empire. 00:12:19.050 --> 00:12:21.020 The numerous conflicts between the contenders 00:12:21.020 --> 00:12:23.910 for the throne weaken the central power. 00:12:23.910 --> 00:12:27.343 Divided, the Imperial authority losses strength. 00:12:28.250 --> 00:12:30.490 This is a blessing for the Vikings 00:12:30.490 --> 00:12:32.730 who watched as Charlemagne's defense structure 00:12:32.730 --> 00:12:35.933 is slowly and inevitably allowed to collapse. 00:12:37.800 --> 00:12:40.483 Divided, the empire is fragile. 00:12:41.550 --> 00:12:43.910 The Nordic packs will grab their chance 00:12:43.910 --> 00:12:45.853 and pounce on the sick beast. 00:12:46.810 --> 00:12:50.140 The rivers guide the Vikings to the large Frankish cities. 00:12:50.140 --> 00:12:53.670 The wall is pillaged then not end to lose. 00:12:53.670 --> 00:12:55.530 Viking leaders gain confidence, 00:12:55.530 --> 00:12:57.710 organize major looting campaigns, 00:12:57.710 --> 00:12:59.860 set up camps at the source of the river, 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:02.862 and do not even bother to return home for the winter. 00:13:02.862 --> 00:13:04.960 (tense music) 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:06.293 The situation is done. 00:13:07.470 --> 00:13:10.500 With each passing day, impunity drives them 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:12.763 to attack larger and larger targets. 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:17.070 Even Aix La Chapelle, Aachen, 00:13:17.070 --> 00:13:18.840 the former capital of Charlemagne 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:20.240 will be looted and ravished. 00:13:22.660 --> 00:13:26.520 In 845, the 120 ships of the leader, Ragnar, 00:13:26.520 --> 00:13:29.490 sail up to Seine without encountering any resistance 00:13:29.490 --> 00:13:31.846 and attacked Paris. 00:13:31.846 --> 00:13:34.346 (tense music) 00:13:35.220 --> 00:13:39.060 A large ransom, 7,000 pounds of silver 00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:41.550 is paid to make them go away. 00:13:41.550 --> 00:13:43.370 This short-term strategy 00:13:43.370 --> 00:13:46.171 simply encourages the Vikings to return. 00:13:46.171 --> 00:13:48.671 (tense music) 00:13:49.610 --> 00:13:53.310 In Northern England, the situation is even worse. 00:13:53.310 --> 00:13:56.633 A giant Danish army has created a kingdom. 00:13:58.920 --> 00:14:02.783 The men of the North have infiltrated the heart of Europe. 00:14:05.127 --> 00:14:08.760 (techno pop music) 00:14:08.760 --> 00:14:13.363 The Vikings' strategy rests on speed and surprise, 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:16.143 fear and courage. 00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:21.883 The raid has generally avoid pitched battles. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:26.190 The strong Frankish army is less mobile. 00:14:26.190 --> 00:14:29.050 Often, defenders arrive too late. 00:14:29.050 --> 00:14:33.340 They're left to helplessly observe the extent of the damage. 00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:36.740 They cannot be everywhere at all times, 00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:39.810 but the Vikings can. 00:14:39.810 --> 00:14:43.040 The only effective defense against the raids 00:14:43.040 --> 00:14:46.113 appears to be the fortification of the cities. 00:14:47.530 --> 00:14:49.850 By the middle of the ninth century, 00:14:49.850 --> 00:14:53.310 major efforts are made to raise the ramparts 00:14:53.310 --> 00:14:55.108 and build new forts. 00:14:55.108 --> 00:14:57.608 (tense music) 00:14:59.310 --> 00:15:02.110 Simultaneously, fortified barricades 00:15:02.110 --> 00:15:04.610 are built across the rivers to block the Vikings 00:15:04.610 --> 00:15:06.980 from entering the land. 00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:08.800 Protecting the Siene, 00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:12.283 the Pont-de-l'Arche is the most impressive of them all. 00:15:13.590 --> 00:15:16.680 Built over the course of 15 years, 00:15:16.680 --> 00:15:19.440 it stops all Viking advances 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:22.371 and protects the inland for many years. 00:15:22.371 --> 00:15:24.473 (tense music) 00:15:24.473 --> 00:15:28.920 But all fortified structures also depend 00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:32.013 on the quality and number of defenders they have. 00:15:34.348 --> 00:15:37.379 (man coughing) 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:39.090 (suspenseful music) 00:15:39.090 --> 00:15:42.863 885, naval barricade of The Pont-de-l'Arche. 00:15:44.493 --> 00:15:47.015 (man screams in foreign language) 00:15:47.015 --> 00:15:47.850 (suspenseful music) 00:15:47.850 --> 00:15:50.150 There are several hundred ships. 00:15:50.150 --> 00:15:51.733 The Seine is covered. 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:57.930 On board, dozens of Viking leaders have joined forces 00:15:57.930 --> 00:16:00.143 to form an unstoppable army. 00:16:01.900 --> 00:16:04.060 The small numbers of Frankish guards 00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:05.940 can do nothing to stop them. 00:16:05.940 --> 00:16:07.680 Not even the various barricades 00:16:07.680 --> 00:16:09.390 leading into the city of Paris 00:16:09.390 --> 00:16:11.830 can provide sufficient defense. 00:16:11.830 --> 00:16:15.453 For the Viking leaders, Paris is just a necessary step. 00:16:16.890 --> 00:16:19.190 The main objective is Burgundy 00:16:19.190 --> 00:16:21.940 where there is abundant wealth to plunder. 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:24.610 But when the northern army arrives near the city, 00:16:24.610 --> 00:16:26.620 they noticed certain changes. 00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:29.400 The ancient Roman walls which had been abandoned 00:16:29.400 --> 00:16:33.460 for centuries have been raised and consolidated. 00:16:33.460 --> 00:16:35.880 On the river, two fortified bridges 00:16:35.880 --> 00:16:37.455 are barring their passage. 00:16:37.455 --> 00:16:38.858 (dramatic music) 00:16:38.858 --> 00:16:40.330 (men screaming in foreign language) 00:16:40.330 --> 00:16:43.770 The city has entrenched itself within the aisle of the city, 00:16:43.770 --> 00:16:45.330 the heart of defense. 00:16:45.330 --> 00:16:48.900 The ramparts are defended and the doors remain closed. 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:52.723 The Parisians, led by Count Eudes, are determined to fight. 00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:56.550 With the path to Burgundy blocked, the Viking expedition 00:16:56.550 --> 00:16:58.413 is forced to siege the city. 00:16:58.413 --> 00:17:00.640 (suspenseful music) 00:17:00.640 --> 00:17:03.630 The Nordic warriors immediately attack the large tower 00:17:03.630 --> 00:17:06.630 which is preventing access to the mighty bridge. 00:17:06.630 --> 00:17:08.450 The assault is brutal 00:17:08.450 --> 00:17:11.360 but the defenses break the Viking spirit. 00:17:11.360 --> 00:17:13.680 The warriors are struck by projectiles 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.780 and overpowered by the Frankish swords. 00:17:16.780 --> 00:17:20.060 This time, brute force just isn't enough. 00:17:20.060 --> 00:17:22.260 The Viking leaders understand that they should prepare 00:17:22.260 --> 00:17:25.621 for a long battle so they have ramps and catapults built. 00:17:25.621 --> 00:17:28.460 (suspenseful music) 00:17:28.460 --> 00:17:31.540 Mobile groups are also sent into the surrounding areas 00:17:31.540 --> 00:17:33.350 to search for resources. 00:17:33.350 --> 00:17:35.713 The first snow will soon arrive. 00:17:37.620 --> 00:17:39.820 The assault, even more violent, 00:17:39.820 --> 00:17:42.963 succeed in destroying the tower in vain. 00:17:44.670 --> 00:17:45.923 Winter arrives. 00:17:46.910 --> 00:17:50.063 Count Eudes' defenses are proving to be formidable. 00:17:50.063 --> 00:17:53.090 (triumphant music) 00:17:53.090 --> 00:17:55.460 The Vikings are now fighting a battle 00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:57.161 that they cannot control. 00:17:57.161 --> 00:17:59.560 (triumphant music) 00:17:59.560 --> 00:18:02.460 In early February, the attackers take advantage 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.830 of the flooding of the Seine 00:18:03.830 --> 00:18:06.610 to overpower the defenses of the Po-tee-hon, 00:18:06.610 --> 00:18:09.903 massacring every single man in the garrison, 00:18:09.903 --> 00:18:12.280 (speaks in foreign language) 00:18:12.280 --> 00:18:13.860 Let's put an end to this. 00:18:13.860 --> 00:18:15.490 Attacking from all sides, 00:18:15.490 --> 00:18:17.700 the Vikings launch a widespread assault. 00:18:17.700 --> 00:18:20.962 (triumphant music) 00:18:20.962 --> 00:18:22.610 It's a fight to the death. 00:18:22.610 --> 00:18:25.090 All around, the defenders hold their ground 00:18:25.090 --> 00:18:27.973 and send the sons of Odin to join Valhalla. 00:18:29.360 --> 00:18:32.593 But Eudes knows that this cannot continue indefinitely. 00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:37.450 In the month of May, he discreetly crosses the Viking lines 00:18:37.450 --> 00:18:40.273 to search for reinforcements form emperor Charles III. 00:18:42.650 --> 00:18:44.830 When he returns to the city, 00:18:44.830 --> 00:18:46.823 the Vikings are blocking his way. 00:18:48.860 --> 00:18:51.520 If Eudes fails to cross the enemy lines 00:18:51.520 --> 00:18:53.390 and return to Paris, 00:18:53.390 --> 00:18:56.268 the defenders may lose hope and give up. 00:18:56.268 --> 00:18:58.117 (triumphant music) 00:18:58.117 --> 00:18:59.740 (man screaming in foreign language) 00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:01.410 He has no choice. 00:19:01.410 --> 00:19:05.242 Surrounded by his men, he charges straight at the enemy. 00:19:05.242 --> 00:19:07.070 (triumphant music) 00:19:07.070 --> 00:19:08.830 After a furious scrimmage, 00:19:08.830 --> 00:19:10.874 he succeeds in returning to the city. 00:19:10.874 --> 00:19:13.040 (triumphant music) 00:19:13.040 --> 00:19:15.940 In autumn, after almost one year of siege, 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:18.813 the Imperial Army finally arrives in Paris. 00:19:18.813 --> 00:19:21.840 (footsteps thumping) 00:19:21.840 --> 00:19:24.432 At its head is Charles III. 00:19:24.432 --> 00:19:27.430 (triumphant music) 00:19:27.430 --> 00:19:30.483 But the long-awaited battle will not happen. 00:19:32.860 --> 00:19:34.930 Charles prefers to negotiate 00:19:34.930 --> 00:19:37.690 and offers a tribute and free passage on the river 00:19:37.690 --> 00:19:40.003 in exchange for lifting the siege. 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:44.499 The Emperor delivers Burgundy to the Vikings. 00:19:44.499 --> 00:19:47.249 (dramatic music) 00:19:49.626 --> 00:19:54.024 We are now at a point of divergence. 00:19:54.024 --> 00:19:56.230 The point of divergence is a key moment, 00:19:56.230 --> 00:19:58.470 a crossroads in history where our world 00:19:58.470 --> 00:20:01.173 can swing from one side to the other. 00:20:02.450 --> 00:20:06.210 Charles III, already weakened by internal conflicts, 00:20:06.210 --> 00:20:08.320 ceded in the face of the invaders, 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:11.050 dishonoring all the sacrifices that have been made 00:20:11.050 --> 00:20:12.813 by the defenders of Paris. 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:20.000 In 887, sick, he's unseated and totally discredited. 00:20:21.610 --> 00:20:24.470 To lead France, the great leaders from the kingdoms 00:20:24.470 --> 00:20:27.200 choose the hero who defended Paris. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.980 Count Eudes becomes King of France. 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:33.490 If Eudes have not survived the siege, 00:20:33.490 --> 00:20:36.460 especially during his heroic return, 00:20:36.460 --> 00:20:38.790 the city of Paris would've definitely fallen 00:20:38.790 --> 00:20:41.050 into the hands of the Vikings. 00:20:41.050 --> 00:20:43.540 Deprived of an energetic defender, 00:20:43.540 --> 00:20:46.320 the Western Frankish Kingdom would probably have fallen 00:20:46.320 --> 00:20:48.020 into political conspiracies 00:20:48.020 --> 00:20:50.553 and power struggles that normed away at it. 00:20:51.780 --> 00:20:54.968 The divided territory would've become easy prey. 00:20:54.968 --> 00:20:58.100 (serene music) 00:20:58.100 --> 00:21:00.760 Weak, incapable of filling their roles 00:21:00.760 --> 00:21:02.160 as protectors of the kingdom, 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:04.650 the Carolingian Kings would certainly 00:21:04.650 --> 00:21:07.453 have been permanently chased off their thrones. 00:21:08.610 --> 00:21:12.010 We can even imagine a pure and simple annexation 00:21:12.010 --> 00:21:15.153 by its powerful neighbor, the Kingdom of Germany. 00:21:16.040 --> 00:21:19.743 The Kingdom of France would've never seen the light of day. 00:21:21.336 --> 00:21:23.840 (metal shrieking) 00:21:23.840 --> 00:21:28.090 911, Rollo, Viking leader, 00:21:28.090 --> 00:21:30.090 receives the Region of Rolla 00:21:30.090 --> 00:21:32.713 from the very hands of the King of the Franks. 00:21:33.610 --> 00:21:36.430 In return, he must be baptized, 00:21:36.430 --> 00:21:38.200 swear allegiance to the king, 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:40.641 and commit to protecting the kingdom. 00:21:40.641 --> 00:21:43.130 (triumphant music) 00:21:43.130 --> 00:21:46.380 The warlord, after fighting in the great siege of Paris 00:21:46.380 --> 00:21:47.720 a few years earlier, 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:50.162 now finds himself defending the kingdom. 00:21:50.162 --> 00:21:53.460 (triumphant music) 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:56.750 These new lands which are soon called Normandy, 00:21:56.750 --> 00:21:58.560 the Land of the North Men, 00:21:58.560 --> 00:22:01.790 are strategically located at the base of the Siene, 00:22:01.790 --> 00:22:03.433 a key invasion point. 00:22:04.930 --> 00:22:07.610 In exchange for part of his territory, 00:22:07.610 --> 00:22:10.923 the King of the Franks gains protection for his kingdom. 00:22:12.390 --> 00:22:15.883 Vikings protecting the Franks against other Vikings. 00:22:17.060 --> 00:22:20.553 It's a bold move but will soon pay off. 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.830 Like the Franks from centuries before, 00:22:24.830 --> 00:22:28.053 the Scandinavians have every interest in integrating. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:31.010 A structured power of the Franks 00:22:31.010 --> 00:22:33.300 allows them to permanently settle down 00:22:33.300 --> 00:22:37.180 and to establish the foundations of a strong state. 00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:41.210 They rapidly adopt the customs and lifestyles of the Franks. 00:22:41.210 --> 00:22:44.963 Soon, they replace their Scandinavian language with French. 00:22:46.490 --> 00:22:49.970 Progressively, they also embraced the religion of the empire 00:22:49.970 --> 00:22:51.683 and convert to Christianity. 00:22:52.550 --> 00:22:54.410 In the hearts of the North men, 00:22:54.410 --> 00:22:59.280 gods like Thor and Odin are set aside for Christ. 00:22:59.280 --> 00:23:02.343 Soon, the country grows and becomes a Duchy. 00:23:04.020 --> 00:23:06.690 The skillful mixture between the Frankish structure 00:23:06.690 --> 00:23:08.390 and the Scandinavian power 00:23:08.390 --> 00:23:10.550 gradually make the Duchy of Normandy, 00:23:10.550 --> 00:23:13.910 one of the most powerful and prosperous principalities 00:23:13.910 --> 00:23:14.743 of the kingdom. 00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:18.223 And that is just the beginning. 00:23:19.340 --> 00:23:21.780 October 14th 1066. 00:23:21.780 --> 00:23:24.243 Not far from the village of Hastings, England. 00:23:25.290 --> 00:23:27.940 A descendant of Rolla, William II, 00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:30.280 who will soon be called William The Conqueror 00:23:30.280 --> 00:23:34.718 comes to confront the King of Saxons on his own soil. 00:23:34.718 --> 00:23:35.551 (men grunting) 00:23:35.551 --> 00:23:36.790 At the end of the day, 00:23:36.790 --> 00:23:39.663 he will be the master of the battlefield and the kingdom. 00:23:40.600 --> 00:23:43.270 William II, Duke of Normandy, 00:23:43.270 --> 00:23:45.480 a descendant of one of the Viking leaders 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:48.000 who previously led the attack on Paris, 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:49.913 becomes the King of England. 00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:54.485 But that is another story. 00:23:54.485 --> 00:23:57.100 (ethereal music) 00:23:57.100 --> 00:23:58.770 The Viking phenomenon ends 00:23:58.770 --> 00:24:00.763 in the middle of the 11th century. 00:24:03.170 --> 00:24:04.670 In a little over 200 years, 00:24:04.670 --> 00:24:07.603 they have left an indelible mark in history, 00:24:08.470 --> 00:24:11.000 a vivid imprint in popular imagery 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.593 and major political consequences. 00:24:14.950 --> 00:24:18.080 Braving the most powerful kingdoms of their time, 00:24:18.080 --> 00:24:20.540 they saw the weaknesses of their enemies 00:24:20.540 --> 00:24:23.330 and deployed their formidable adaptation skills 00:24:23.330 --> 00:24:25.335 to shake up the Western world. 00:24:25.335 --> 00:24:28.700 (dramatic music) 00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:31.690 Taking advantage of a troubled period, 00:24:31.690 --> 00:24:34.920 they played an important role in the decline 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:37.503 of the monumental Carolingian Empire. 00:24:39.750 --> 00:24:42.010 The most remarkable fact 00:24:42.010 --> 00:24:45.350 from the Duchy of Normandy to Medieval Russia 00:24:45.350 --> 00:24:47.963 is the Vikings' ability to integrate. 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:51.840 They didn't hesitate to convert to Christianity 00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:54.600 or to adopt a new language. 00:24:54.600 --> 00:24:58.690 Despite all the violence of the prior expeditions, 00:24:58.690 --> 00:25:02.790 they learned to adapt and merge with the local population, 00:25:02.790 --> 00:25:06.083 just as the Franks had done many centuries earlier. 00:25:06.990 --> 00:25:09.120 By being open to others, 00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:12.696 they were able to forge a common future. 00:25:12.696 --> 00:25:15.613 (triumphant music)