Sessoine, Siesia, Soissie, Sosie, Suize
A valley and town in northern France, northeast of Paris. Also known as a kingdom ruled by Clothar I, son of Clovis I, before he became King of all the Franks.
In the Arthurian legends, it is the site of the final battle between Arthur and Lucius, Procurator or Emperor of Rome. Arthur learned of Lucius’s advance through the valley and was waiting with his army. An epic battle ensued, in which many knights and kings, on both sides, were slain. Lucius himself was killed, and Arthur’s forces were victorious.
Soissons | 0 to 9th century AD
Gaul and Roman Period | 1st century BC – 5th century AD
Soissons, known as Noviodunum during the Roman era, was a significant settlement in ancient Gaul. During the Roman Empire, it was a hub for trade and commerce. The city had defensive walls and various Roman structures. In the fifth century, as the Western Roman Empire faced decline and fragmentation, Soissons became part of the Kingdom of the Franks.
Battle of Soissons | 486 AD
One of the pivotal events in Soissons’ history occured in 486 when Clovis I, the Frankish king, defeated the last Roman ruler in the west, Syagrius, in the Battle of Soissons. This battle is often considered a crucial moment in the establishment of the Merovingian dynasty and the rise of the Frankish Kingdom.
Frankish and Carolingian Periods | 5th – 9th centuries
Soissons became part of the expanding Frankish realm, and it played a role in the politics of the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties. The city was a site for royal assemblies and coronations during thid perios. Soissons faced various invasions and battles during the tumultuous centuries that followed the fall of the Roman Empire.
Viking Invasions | 9th century
In the ninth century, Soissons, like many other European cities, faced Viking invasions. These invasions disrupted the region and led to a period of insecurity and instability.
Sources
Historia Regum Britanniae | Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1138
Roman de Brut | Wace, c. 1155
Brut | Layamon, late 12th century to mid-13th century
Vulgate Merlin | 1220-1235
Alliterative Morte Arthure | c. 1400
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470