With both cavalry forces routed one after the other, Frankish morale collapsed. Their central formation was completely pierced through, and Carloman and Charles the Fat fled the battlefield under the protection of their knights.
In this battle, the Vikings suffered 400 dead and 800 wounded. Frankish casualties and prisoners totaled nearly 3,500, while the remaining 2,000-plus soldiers were reduced to disorganized fugitives—unlikely to be useful again.
After the fighting ended, Vig remembered the oddly coiffed light infantry he had encountered earlier and ordered inquiries into their origins. The truth proved surprising.
They were indeed Franks, living in the forest regions of Bavaria. Because of their remote location, they had preserved many ancient tribal traditions—including their habitual use of throwing axes.
By contrast, their kinsmen on the plains of West Francia had long since adopted settled agriculture. The old tribal customs had faded, along with the warrior traditions that once defined them. This trend was irreversible. As populations grew and territories expanded, the original Frankish tribal system could no longer function. They had been forced to imitate Roman cultural practices and piece together a new administrative structure.
"I see," Vig said, suddenly losing interest. "I thought they were some foreign tribe from Burgundy or Swabia."
He waved the prisoners away and strolled through the battlefield with Frode.
"What mistake do you think the enemy made?" he asked. "If you had commanded the Frankish army, what would you have done?"
Frode steadied himself and answered based on what he had learned:
"Carloman should not have changed formation in the middle of the battle. While our forces were maneuvering westward, his army remained in confusion from the constant rearrangement.
If it were me, I would have sent all cavalry to strike the Viking main force during its maneuver—buying time for the infantry to deploy."
Vig shook his head.
"That judgment is based on information you gained after the battle. During the fighting, both the west and north were covered by forests, limiting visibility. On what basis could you conclude that the force on the western flank was the Viking main army?
If you committed all cavalry and ended up chasing an insignificant detachment, what then?
Cavalry are powerful—but they scatter easily. Lose control for a moment and they disappear. Take our ranger battalion, for example. Even now, half of them haven't returned. At this rate, some will still be wandering around by evening."
The question exceeded Frode's experience. He glanced toward the surrounding nobles—people like Sparrowhawk and Viper—but they wisely remained silent.
Left to wrestle with the problem alone, he pondered it until nightfall, still without an answer.
The next day, the Vikings buried the dead—both friend and foe—and marched south toward Schleswig.
At the sight of the distinctive black banner, the two hundred surviving defenders abandoned the town and fled.
After assuming control of the defenses, Vig was surprised to discover that fifty households still remained inside the settlement.
"After so many disasters, how did they manage to survive?" he wondered.
He ordered the army to clear abandoned ruins and rebuild orderly barracks. Messengers were dispatched to the navy, instructing them to sail around the Jutland Peninsula and deliver supplies directly to Schleswig.
At the same time, Vig sent envoys to Eric the Younger, Halfdan, Leksa, Favel, and other Viking rulers, inviting them to form a coalition against the Frankish threat.
In response to Vig's summons, the two kings and numerous powerful lords showed notable respect. One after another, they arrived by ship at Schleswig.
April 6
Vig wasted no time and convened a council.
Eric the Younger, Halfdan, and the other leaders took their seats. Without exchanging pleasantries, Vig stated his position bluntly:
"I will assume command of the Viking coalition army.
Who supports this? Who objects?"
Favel spoke first.
"I support it."
Leksa followed immediately.
"So do I."
Viking society respected strength above all else. Across the entire Nordic world, no one had a reputation for warfare equal to Vig's. The proposal gained overwhelming support.
Eric the Younger and Halfdan exchanged glances, then spoke calmly:
"I support it."
With command authority secured, Vig ordered each contingent to report its numbers.
On paper, the coalition could field 13,000 men. In reality, only about 10,000 were present; many units were still assembling.
After the meeting, Vig attempted to reorganize the forces of more than thirty independent lords. The task proved exhausting and inefficient. Eventually, he abandoned the effort.
Two days later, a restless unease settled over him.
He felt a growing urgency to end the war quickly.
Delay could bring unexpected complications.
Vig decided not to wait for additional reinforcements. He left the northern nobles in the south to repair the Danevirke defenses while he personally led more than 9,000 soldiers northward, determined to crush Louis the Younger as soon as possible.
April 12
The allied army reached Vejle.
Halfdan stared at the shattered walls and the Saxon banner flying from the watchtower, his expression distant.
Years earlier, when Louis the German invaded, he and his younger brother had defended this very town together. Now, times had changed—his brother was dead, and the roles of attacker and defender had reversed.
The bitterness was hard to ignore.
"I will take responsibility for Vejle," he requested.
Vig rode around the fortifications, inspecting them, then questioned nearby villagers. The garrison inside numbered only a little over three hundred.
Since Halfdan was willing to handle the unpleasant work, Vig gladly agreed. He assigned him over a thousand troops to conduct the siege while the main army continued north.
Following the road, they reached Aarhus, which was likewise held by several hundred Frankish soldiers. As before, Vig left behind another mixed detachment of more than a thousand men.
Two days later, he arrived at Randers.
Unlike the previous towns, its gates stood open. The walls were deserted. Only a few Viking residents peeked cautiously from their homes.
After questioning them, Vig learned that the Frankish army had sensed danger from the south. Although they did not know the exact situation, Louis the Younger had decided to concentrate his forces rather than risk being defeated in detail.
Vig asked:
"What is the situation in Aalborg?"
A civilian replied:
"Five days ago, Aalborg fell. Louis ordered riders to parade Ube's banner and royal belongings across the region to display his power."
Leaving several hundred troops behind to secure the town, Vig pressed north once more.
One day later, he finally encountered Louis the Younger's army, numbering roughly 6,000 men.
Seeing the battle formation of the Serpent of the North with his own eyes, Louis forced himself to remain calm. Using supply wagons, he constructed an extremely conservative defensive formation.
The battlefield was open terrain. Vig had no terrain advantages to exploit.
There would be no deception this time.
Both armies deployed in full view and prepared for a decisive engagement.
The Viking side fielded 7,000 soldiers, most of them elite troops personally trained by Vig. Their morale, equipment, discipline, and organization represented the highest standard in the Nordic world.
The battle had lasted only ten minutes when Louis felt an indescribable pressure.
His shield wall began to give ground. Infantry commanders repeatedly called for reinforcements.
On the eastern flank, the cavalry he had placed his hopes in performed poorly. They were stopped by dense spear formations. When they attempted to maneuver around, Viking cavalry suddenly harassed them from the side, trapping them in encirclement.
Only about sixty Frankish riders managed to escape.
"We can't hold—retreat!" Louis shouted.
With the situation deteriorating rapidly, he withdrew in haste. Fortunately for him, a small river lay not far to the north.
After crossing it, he burned the bridge behind him, escaping with the remaining 3,000 men and breaking contact with Vig's pursuing forces.
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