Rollo Gange-Hrólf Rognvaldsson of Normandy (870-932)
870--932 (man)
Note: He has been called "Rolf the Walker", because, being so tall, hepreferred to go afoot rather than ride the little Norwegian horses. He conquered Normandy in 912. Called "the Walker" because he was tootall for the tiny Norse ponies. http://www.rollo.com/geneaolgy.htm In the year 911 Rollo laid siege to Chartres, but was repulsed by theforces of Charles III. However, the King saw the opportunity toachieve an accordance with the Vikings and he arranged a meeting withRollo at St. Clair-sur-Epte (between Paris and Rouen). A stained glasswindow in the chapel that was the site of the meeting commemorates thetreaty struck at the meeting. Rollo was granted Normandy as a Dukedomand the title Count of Rouen in return for his allegiance to CharlesIII. Rollo kept this bargain and was later baptised as a Christian. Rollo's Vikings melded into the local culture fairly rapidly, takinglocal wives and concubines so that their children grew up speaking theFrankish language. In time, most traces of the old Viking ways ofScandinavia and the Danelaw of England disappeared from Normandy Also known as Ganger Rolf, "The Viking"; first Duke of Normandy. Hewas banished from Norway to the Hebrides abt 876; in 890 participatedin the Viking attach on Bayeux, where Count Berenger of Bayeux waskilled. He took the Count's daughter Poppa as his "Danish" wife in886. From the Encyclopedia Britannica Online, article entitled Rollo: "Making himself independent of King Harald I of Norway, Rollo sailedoff to raid Scotland, England, Flanders, and France on piratingexpeditions and, about 911, established himself in an area along theSeine River. Charles III the Simple of France held off his siege ofParis, battled him near Chartres, and negotiated the treaty ofSaint-Clair-sur-Epte, giving him the part of Neustria that came to becalled Normandy; Rollo in return agreed to end his brigandage. He gavehis son, William I Longsword, governance of the dukedom (927) beforehis death. Rollo was baptized in 912 but is said to have died apagan." He was the First Duke of Normandy. HOUSE OF BJORN. Rollo the Ganger (860-932) and Normandy (Condensedfrom the account by H.H.Boyesen) Purloined from "A Norse Family Saga" by Margaret Anderson and Gladys Garland. By 872 A.D.Harald the Fairhaired had united all the scattered earldoms of Norway under his own sway and he issued a stringent order forbiddingpillaging within his own kingdom under penalty of outlawry. In those days sailing out into the world as a viking and plundering foreignlands was held to be a most honorable custom--a "liberal education for chieftains' sons." But at that time the Norwegians had as yet nonational feeling and so regarded Harald's prohibition againstplundering their own shores as absurd and arbitrary. Rollo (or Hrolf), son ofthe King's best friend, Rognovald, Earl of More, undertook todisregard this order, landing in the south of Norway and making havoc among thecoast dwellers. He was outlawed by King Harald. Rollo betook himself to the Hebrides. There his great strength and sagacity, noless than his distinguished birth, secured him a favorable receptionandmuch influence. He gradually assumed command over the Norse exilesand it was probably at his advice that they abandoned the bleak and barren Hebrides for a sunnier clime. Early in the tenth century alarge expedition was fitted out and sailed south, landing first in Holland. Finding that all-too-accessible country already devastatedby other vikings, they proceeded to the coast of France and enteredthe mouth of the river Seine. The empire of Charlemagne (747-814) hadbeen broken up and divided amoung his grandsons, and the fraction which was to be France, was then confined between the Loire and theMeuse. King Charles the Simple, a feeble, foolish, and good-natured man, was utterly unequal to defending his territory against foreigninvaders or domestic pretenders. Rollo, meantime, pillaged the area around the city of Rouen. In this dilemma, the Archbishop of Rouenoffered himself as an ambassador to the pagans, hoping he might become and instrument in the hand of God to avert the impending doom.Rollo, who could honor courage, even in an enemy, received him courteously, pledged himself, in case the city surrendered, to takepeaceful possession of it and to molest no one. Keeping his promise, his ships sailed up the river, made his entry into Rouen, inspectedthe fortifications, the water supply and all points of strategicinterest. Pleased, he resolved to remain. With Rouen as his base of supplies,he made expeditions up the Seine and established a great camp near the confluence of the Seine and Eure. Hither an army under thecommand of Reynault, Duke of France, came to drive Rollo out of the country, but instead, was killed in the battle that ensued. Thevictorious Rollo sailed up the river and laid siege to Paris. Findingthe capital too strong, he retired to Rouen and continued to ravage thesurrounding territory. Rollo conquered the city of Bayeux and slewits ruler, Count Berenger, whose beautiful daughter, Popa, he married. Nowhe changed his tactics and took permanent possession of the towns that fell into his hands. By this time the peasants haddiscovered that Rollo was man of his word, a lord of mighty will,ruthless in enforcing obedience, but open-handed and generous to those who wouldserve his purposes. He was now chosen King--a title he later exchanged for that of Duke of Normandy. He continued to conquersmaller cities and ravage the land until the King of France indesparation made a treaty with Rollo, thus ridding France of a dangerous foe andat the same time making a powerful friend who might help him keep his unruly nobles in order. He therefore made Rollo sovereign of hisnorthern province with the title of Duke of Normandy (912 A.D.) and gave his daughter Gisela in marriage. Rollo became a Christian andcelebrated his marriage to Gisela with great pomp in Rouen. His previous marriage to Popa did not seem to have caused him any scruple,though he seems to have regarded the latter as a wife and when Gisela died he resumed marital relations with Popa. She was themother of his beloved son, William Longsword. The peasants were not slow to discover that they were better off under Rollo than they hadever been under their former ruler, and they rewarded him with sincere loyalty and devotion. Rollo the Ganger (walker) must have been nearlyeighty years old when he died. His son, William Longsword, who succeeded him, was a man of milder disposition, and in vigor andsagacity, inferior to his father. Rollo's descendant in the fifthgeneration was William the Conqueror, who inherited in a larger measure thequalities of his great ancestor.
Birth: 870
_SDATE: 1 JUL 870 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
Death: 932
_SDATE: 1 JUL 932 in Notre Dame, Rouen, Normandie, Neustria, France
Event: First Duke of Normandy plc | |
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