The fortified bridges of Charles the bald
Simon Coupland
It is widely believed that Charles the bald built a network of fortified bridges in Seine basin 860s to defend West frankish kingdom against Viking invasion. However, careful study primary sources reveals only one bridge valley was fortified, at Pont-de-l'Arche. Others were rebuilt times crisis order increased troop mobility, and least instance create temporary barrier across river. The latter tactic also employed Pont-de-l'Arche on occasion, but such barriers would not have been permitted remain place once immediate danger had passed, since importance rivers as commercial arteries they could be allowed closed for longer than absolutely necessary. This helps explain why fleets able bypass even after fortification work begun there 862.There addition strong circumstantial evidence King b...
Journal of Medieval History