The historians’ history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 11

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"The historians'' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 11…" by Henry Smith Williams is a historical compendium written in the early 20th century. This volume surveys the history of France from the later Carolingians to the death of Louis XIV, blending political narrative with religious, social, and cultural developments as distilled from numerous classic authorities. The opening of the volume recounts the collapse of Carolingian power under relentless Northmen raids and internal strife, portraying Charles the Bald’s weakness, the ferocity and tactics of the Vikings, and the famed pirate Hastings. It explains how the Edict of Mersen and the capitulary of Quierzy hastened the transformation of benefices into hereditary fiefs, birthing the feudal order and proliferating private castles. The siege of Paris (885–886) highlights civic resilience under Bishop Gozlin and Count Eudes against a vast Viking host, contrasted with imperial impotence, and foreshadows the rise of the Capetians.