Today, we intend to present on this post who was the famous viking who succeeded in conquering Normandy during the days that were marked by foreigner invasions, where wars ecloded between neighbours and also where Christianity, though already established, still struggled to settle. His name being Rollo, in our contemporary days he is now a character at the famous tv show known by the name of "Vikings". But, in reality, who was this man? Was he only the anti-hero brother of Ragnar Lothbrok? It's what this post intends to try to lighten up his mystic figure.
For a start, his name and birth date differs. Although he is addressed as Rollo the Ganger (in Old Norse: Göngu Hrólf) by many bibliographies here consulted, he is sometimes referred as Ralf, Hrolf and, after his baptism, as Robert I. Even towards the year he was born, there is no common sense surrounding it: as it is unknown the precise date he was born, historians speculate the years of 842 and 860. His father was probably the Jarl Rognvald Eysteinsson, whilst the identity of his mother is said to have been a woman named Ragnhildr or Hildr, and there is very little if not nothing about her.
We can have a better understanding of below:
"The origin of Rollo is contraversial. There are several medieval sources which claim to give information about the origin of Rollo, the most widely repeated of which would make him a son of Rognvaldr, jarl of More by Ragnhildr or Hildr. As can be seen from the following brief notices, the various primary sources offer very contradictory information about Rollo's origin."
"According to Dudo of St. Quentin (writing early 11th century), author of the earliest history of the Normans, Rollo had a younger brother named Gurim, presumed to be the familiar name Gorm. Dudo states that Rollo and Gurim were sons of a man who held many lands in "Dacia" (Dudo's word for Denmark, following other authors), and that after the death of the (unnamed) father of Rollo and Gurim, the king of Dacia fought against the sons, killing Gurim and driving Rollo out [Dudo ii, 2-4 (pp.26-7)]. (...)"
Physically, it's even more difficult to state how Rollo was. But, having received the nickname of "the Ganger", all we know is that he was tall and large enough that he had to walk as no horse could carry him. Either way, once it is discussed his background in Norway, as Dane was probably a word to address those born in the Scandinavian regions and not necessarily exclusive in Denmark, we will now go forward to his expeditions as viking.
That being said, according to Dudo of St Quentin, Rollo was expelled from his lands because of a fight against the king of Norway, of which resulted in the death of his brother, and so he sailed in an expedition to the west. His incursions led him to Ireland, Scotland and, finally, to France, where he'd lead a famous siege in Paris around the year of 885, though some claim the date of his arrival in France was circa 900.
"According to Dudo of Saint-Quentin, Rollo arrived in northern France in 876 [156], although there is some debate about [900] being a more likely date [157]. William of Jumièges records that Rollo was chosen by lot to be leader of the Viking colonists [158]. Viking raids intensified in northern France. Although they were defeated after raiding Chartres [911], Charles III "le Simple" King of the West Franks granted the Normans land around Rouen in which to settle [159]. The uncertain nature of the demise was the source of future problems between the French crown, which claimed that it was an enfeofment for which the ruleer owed allegiance, (...). A charter dated 14 Mar 918 which granted land to the monastery of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, "except that part...which we have granted to the Normans of the Seine, namely to Rollo and his companions" [160]. He was later known as Robert I Comte [de Normandie]."
This last paragraph tells us what happened after the siege of Paris, whose date is uncertain, despite the discussion of it being already mentioned. To avoid furthermore invasions from the Vikings, Charles the Simple, King of West Francia, raised an army, ready to fight them away, but instead he came to an agreement with their leader, Rollo. Here we have Rollo making a peace treaty that would bring benefits to both sides: if he and his companions converted to Christianity, they would be granted lands and wives. Marriage and lands were important instruments in Middle Ages for peace to be arranged and, thus, Rollo agreed. However, some historians state that "Rollo's conversion to Christianity (...) and his gift of land from the King of France should not be misinterpreted. Very likely Rollo's Christianity was of a very limited character, and his supposed loyalty to the king of France could not be counted upon."
As for the marriage, there have been some discussions about that, whilst he was in Ireland, he contracted marriage to a woman with whom he had his first child, William "Longsword", who would inherite the Norman lands, There have been suggested that the names of the women he was married to were Gisela or Poppa, both women having been of a certain noble status.
"In 911, Hrofl began a siege of Chartres. Many noblemen answered the plea for help from the Bishop and Hrolf was defeated on July 20, 911 at the Battle of Chartres. The result was the Treaty of St-Claire-sur-Epte. Hrolf swore fealty to the French king (...), converted to Christianity, was baptized with the name Robert and may have married Charles's presumably illegitimate daughter Gisela."
Nevertheless, "Dudo records that Rollo took Popa (or Poppa), a daughter of Berenger, Count of Rennes, as a wife and with her had their son and Rollo's heir, William. It is impossible to verify this and Douglas dismissed it. Dudo also records that Charles the Simple gave one of his daughters, Gisela, in marriage to Rollo, but Douglas considers this in the "highest degree improbable". Douglas accepts a story from an Icelandic saga that, while in Scotland, Rollo married a Christian woman and had a daughter, Kathleen; according to the sagas, she married a Scottish King called Beolan, and had at least a daughter called Nithbeorg, who was taken captive by and married to Helgi Ottarson. Another daughter, Gerloc or Adele, who married William III, Duke of Aquitaine, was (...) accepted by Crouch as a daughter of Rollo and Popa."
Perhaps, what is likely to presume is that Rollo was married to Poppa, the daughter of an Earl, as the result of a peace treaty between the West Franks and the Vikings with whom they had William and Adele, and possibly Gisela was Rollo's second wife. Others claim that Rollo was already married and repudiated his first wife to marry Poppa, but, with contradictions as these found in the bibliographies and few sources reliable, we can only but speculate.
As a result of these marriages, nonetheless, Rollo's children would spread his blood throughtout Europe, making him the ancestor of every royal house that rules, or not, Europe in the present days. Through his son, William Longsword, he is the ancestor of William the Conqueror, whose descendants lead him to Elizabeth II of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northean Ireland. And through his daughter, Adele, the French monarchs descend of him as well.
Rollo abdicated of being the Count of Normandy to his son and died around the year of 932, and the cause of his death is not known.
Bibliography:
http://www.labrujulaverde.com/2016/03/la-verdadera-historia-de-rollo-el-vikingo-del-que-descienden-todos-los-actuales-monarcas-europeos
https://www.geni.com/people/Gange-Hr%C3%B3lfr-Rollo-of-Normandy/2915061
http://www.latinpost.com/articles/9329/20140322/history-channel-vikings-season-2-who-real-rollo-lothbrook.htm
http://homepages.rpi.edu/~holmes/Hobbies/Genealogy2/ps05/ps05_073.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/fmma/fmma16.htm
https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2014/03/14/rollo-viking-count-of-normandy/
http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/dukes_of_normandy.htm
http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMANDY.htm
http://www.brumm.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I2917&tree=Everyone
http://www.deloriahurst.com/deloriahurst%20page/3310.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollo
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Rollo.aspx
http://sinclair.quarterman.org/who/rollo.html
http://www.mathematical.com/rollo.html
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