Welcome to the British History Podcast.

My name is Jamie and this is Episode 220, Alfred and Guthron.

Magic, madness, heaven, sin.

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It's the year 876 and historians Dudo and Flodoar tell us that a fleet of viking slammed

into the Frankish city of Ruan and nearly leveled it to the ground.

In response to this attack, King Louis the Stammerer, brother of Judith, launched a campaign

to oust them.

But he never saw this completed because King Louis fell ill and died not long thereafter.

The King divided by the Franks was then split between Louis II's sons, Carloman II and

Louis III.

This death and the political restructuring that followed didn't end the Frankish fight

against the vikings.

But that fleet that nearly raised Ruan was there to stay and they were led by a man named

Ralfur.

Though you probably know him by the name the Franks gave him.

Rolo.

...