Joscelin (bishop of Paris)

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Joscelin (also Goslin or Gauzlin) died on 16 April 886. He was the Bishop of Paris and helped defend the city against Viking attacks in 885. Some say he was the son of Rorgon I, count of Maine; others say he was the natural son of Emperor Louis I.

In 848 he became a monk at a Reims monastery, and later he was abbot of Saint-Denis. Like many church leaders of his time, he took a leading role against the Northmen. He and his brother Louis were captured in 858 and released only after paying a heavy ransom.

From 855 to 867 he served, sometimes, as chancellor to Charles the Bald, and from 867 to 881 he held the post regularly. In 883 or 884 he was elected bishop of Paris. He planned and directed the strengthening of the city’s defenses and also trusted the relics of St Germain and St Genevieve for security.

When the Viking attack came in 885, he worked with Odo, Count of Paris, and Hugh the Abbot to defend the city. The struggle over the bridge (Pont-au-Change) began on 26 November and lasted two days; Joscelin repaired a destroyed wooden tower overnight, and the Vikings gave up their attempt to storm the city. The siege continued for about another year while the emperor Charles the Fat was in Italy.

Joscelin died soon after peace talks began, worn out by his efforts or perhaps killed by a pestilence in the city. He was succeeded by Askericus.