Ragnar's oarsman 844
Autumn 844, Hedeby. Word on the quay is that a man called Ragnar is gathering ships to sail west next spring. While the Frankish king's brothers fight one another, they say, no one guards the rivers. You are a fisherman's son who knows how to pull an oar.
Historical background
In 843 the Treaty of Verdun divided the Carolingian empire among the three sons of Louis the Pious — Lothair, Louis the German and Charles the Bald. After years of fighting between the brothers, the riverbanks of Charles's West Francia lay undefended. In the spring of 845 about 120 ships under a Danish chieftain whom Frankish sources call Reginherus — Ragnar — rowed up the Seine and entered and plundered Paris around Easter, 28 March. Charles paid them 7,000 pounds of silver to leave: the first great payment to make Vikings go away.
In Denmark, where the fleet probably came from, Horik I was king, and Hedeby (Haithabu) in southern Jutland was the greatest market linking the Baltic and the North Sea, where Arab silver, Frisian cloth, furs and slaves changed hands. Around 850 Ansgar, the "Apostle of the North", built a church at Hedeby with the king's permission. The annals also say that disease broke out among the Danes returning from Paris.
Who you are
You begin as a 19-year-old fisherman's son on the quays of Hedeby who knows how to row. You have no land and no name — only a young body and the sea. The old steersman Gulbrand, your oar-mate Thorketil, Sigrid, the daughter of a Hedeby merchant, and Ketil Flatnose, who will contest your name, appear in this life.
The current of history: Dragon ships on the Seine
An invitation called "Ships bound west" arrives, and you choose what part you will play in the expedition of spring 845. You can board as an oarsman — or guard the river from the other side.
Sides you can take
- Ragnar's fleet Board a dragon ship and row up the Seine, chasing silver and renown.
- Guarding the Seine Stand with those who defend the river in Frankish lands, and see the Viking age from the other side.
- Coastal guard Protect your home coast and market, choosing home and trade over the raid.
Tips
Questions and answers
How close is this scenario to real history?
The Treaty of Verdun in 843, Ragnar's raid on Paris in 845 and Charles the Bald's 7,000 pounds of silver, Hedeby under King Horik and Ansgar's church are historical. Ragnar himself is a mix of a brief entry in the annals and later legend. The starting map, realms, real historical figures and the major events of the current of history follow actual history. You and the companions, rivals and loves around you are fictional people who could have lived then, and once you start, history may diverge according to your choices and those of the AI rulers.
What station do I start in?
You start as a 19-year-old common man living in Jutland (Hedeby), a fisherman's son. You belong to the Kingdom of Denmark and have no land.
Is it free? Can I play right away?
Yes. Crown & Plough is a free browser game with no account and nothing to install. The "Start in this scene" button on this page opens the scenario's intro screen directly, and progress is saved automatically in your browser. It works on phones too.
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