Parigi, Paryse, Paryss
Paris is the capital of France, located in the north-central part of the country.
In the chronicles, Arthur fights and kills the Roman tribune Frollo in Paris, thus conquering Gaul. While he was pacifying Gaul and begging the administration of laws, he made Paris his capital. Within nine years Arthur had conquered all of Gaul and held a court in Paris, establishing the government of that kingdom on a legal footing.
During Arthur’s battles with Emperor Lucius of Rome, he sent the prisoners captured to a prison in Paris. In La Tavola Ritonda, Paris is King Faramon of France’s capital.
Paris | 0 to 800 AD
Roman Paris | 1st century BC – 5th century AD
The area that would become Paris was initially settled by Celtic tribes, and the Parisii, a sub-tribe of the Celts, established a fishing village on the Île de la Cité around the third century BC. In 52 BC, Julius Caesar’s Roman forces conquered the Parisii settlement, and the Romans subsequently established a town called Lutetia on the location.
Merovingian Period | 5th – 8th century AD
With the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, the region underwent changes. The Merovingian kings, a Frankish dynasty, came to power in the area. Clovis I, the Merovingian king, made Paris the capital of the Frankish kingdom in the late fifth century. This contributes to the city’s political importance.
The expansion of Christianity in the region is associated with the establishment of religious institutions. Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, played a significant role during this period.
Carolingian Period | 8th century AD
In the eighth century, under Charlemagne and the Carolingian dynasty, Paris continued to grow in prominence. Charlemagne’s successor, Charlemagne’s son Louis the Pious, further contributed to the city’s development. The Carolingian rulers used Paris as a base for their administrative and political activities.
Viking Raids | 9th century AD
Towards the end of the eighth century and into the ninth century, Viking raids became a significant threat. In 845 AD, Paris suffered a major Viking attack, leading to the looting of the city.
Sources
Historia Regum Britanniae | Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1138
Vulgate Merlin | 1220-1235
La Tavola Ritonda | 1325–1350
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470