Editing History of Paris (section)

==From Clovis to the Capetian kings (6th–11th centuries)==
[[File:Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés 140131 1.jpg|thumb|right|The Church of the [[Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés]] (Late 11th century) was the burial place of the first Kings of France.]]

Clovis I and his successors of the [[Merovingian dynasty]] built a host of religious edifices in Paris, including a basilica on the [[Montagne Sainte-Geneviève]], the cathedral of Saint-Étienne (where Notre Dame now stands), and several important monasteries, including one that later became the [[Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés]]. They also built the [[Basilica of Saint-Denis]], which became the [[necropolis]] of the [[List of French monarchs|kings of France]]. None of the Merovingian buildings survived, but there are four marble Merovingian columns in the church of [[Saint-Pierre de Montmartre]].<ref>Sarmant, Thierry, ''Histoire de Paris: Politique, urbanisme, civilisation'', 2012, pp. 21–22.</ref> The kings of the Merovingian dynasty were buried in the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des Prés, however [[Dagobert I]], the last king of the Merovingian dynasty, who died in 639, was the first Frankish king to be buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

The kings of the [[Carolingian dynasty]], who came to power in 751, moved the Frankish capital to Aix-la-Chapelle ([[Aachen]]) and paid little attention to Paris, though King [[Pepin the Short]] did build an impressive new sanctuary at [[Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Denis]], which was consecrated in the presence of [[Charlemagne]] on 24 February 775.<ref>Sarmant, Thierry, ''Histoire de Paris: Politique, urbanisme, civilisation'', 2012, p. 22.</ref>

In the 9th century, the city was repeatedly attacked by the [[Vikings]], who sailed up the Seine on fleets of [[Viking ships]]. They demanded a ransom and ravaged the fields. In December 856, Vikings attacked and burned Paris. According to the Royal Frankish Annals, they burned all the churches of Paris with the exception of St. Germain-des-Prés, the Cathedral of St. Stephen, the Church of St. Vincent and St. Denis, which were spared due to a payment of ransom. In 885–886, they laid a one-year siege to Paris and tried again in 887 and in 889, but were unable to conquer the city, as it was protected by the Seine and the walls of the Île de la Cité.{{sfn|Lawrence|Gondrand|2010|p=27}} The two bridges, vital to the city, were additionally protected by two massive stone fortresses, the [[Grand Châtelet]] on the [[Rive Droite|Right Bank]] and the "Petit Châtelet" on the Left Bank, built on the initiative of [[Joscelin (bishop of Paris)|Joscelin]], the bishop of Paris.<ref>Sarmant, ''History of Paris'', p. 24.</ref>{{sfn|Lawrence|Gondrand|2010|p=27}}

In the fall of 978, Paris was besieged by the [[Emperor Otto II]] during the [[Franco-German war of 978–980]]. At the end of the 10th century, a new dynasty of kings, the [[Capetian dynasty|Capetians]], founded by [[Hugh Capet]] in 987, came to power. Though they spent little time in the city, they restored the royal palace on the Île de la Cité and built a church where the [[Sainte-Chapelle]] stands today. Prosperity returned gradually to the city and the Right Bank began to be populated. On the Left Bank, the Capetians founded an important monastery: the [[Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés]]. Its church was rebuilt in the 11th century.