The Great Viking Assault: The Siege of Paris (885-886 AD) This historical illustration, rendered in a medieval manuscript style, vividly depicts the monumental Siege of Paris that began in November 885 AD. A massive Viking fleet of some 300-700 longships, carrying tens of thousands of warriors under the command of leaders like Sigfred and Rollo, sailed up the Seine River and laid siege to the fortified city, which was then primarily confined to the Île de la Cité. The siege lasted for nearly a y