Who were the Normans?
A finely dressed Norman knight, skewering a naked chap…
For this week’s blog, Newcastle Castle’s Outreach Officer, George, has been delving into the early history of the Normans before their famous invasion of England in 1066. So sit down and let George regale with a tale of treachery, warfare, politics and, of course, Vikings…
An origin story for you this time, but this one doesn’t have Superman, Spiderman or even Bananaman (older readers WILL know!) Our castle here in Newcastle, as you probably know, is Norman. You will have heard that term bandied about in many a history documentary but where does the term come from and who were the Normans? I will try and explain. Let me take you right back, all the way back to the beginning…
It all starts somewhere in Scandanavia in the 9th century with a gentleman, or not so gentle Viking called Rollo or Hrolf. Historians are uncertain of his origins and have come up with several differing ones. Written sources in this period are often limited, reading and writing not being essential for everyday life way back when. Most of the information we have on the earlier aspects of his career are from an early medieval historian, Dudo, writing in the 10th century.
Viewers of the hit series of Vikings will know about the Rollo that exists in the show. There are some parallels between TV Rollo and the historic Rollo. However, he was not the brother of Ragnar Lothbrok and probably never ever met Bjorn Ironside. He was, though, a typical Viking in that he was a fearless warrior and opportunist. He like many Viking leaders, he sought fortune and glory; to be spoken of in the mead halls as a hero. Like the on-screen version, he did sail to France hoping to find it.
Viking raids were commonplace all over Northern Europe, younger sons of Viking families were often left with nothing on their fathers’ passing but the clothes they wore. As was to become Viking tradition, they had to make it on their own. Likeminded individuals including sons of noble birth would rally together and form a warbands. They could pool resources and venture forward into the world, on the lookout for land and riches of their own.
Rollo is mentioned in the seizure of Rouen in 876, which is where his eventual capital would be. He was involved in several battles and skirmishes through the latter part of the 9th century and early 10th century. Most famously he was defeated at the Battle of Chartres (911) by an army of mounted knights, led by Charles IV, of France. Ironically mounted knights would become the Normans trademark in the years to come.
Charles IV, the Simple, the King of France, tired of constant Viking raids and wars, decided to form a peace treaty with Rollo to protect France from further Viking raids. As part of this Rollo was given a substantial amount of land: Rollo was now to become a protector if you like; the land he was given in Northern France was to act as a buffer against pillage and invasion. This newfound friendship was finally cemented at the Treaty of St Clair in 911. The land was to become eventually known as Normandia or the Land of the Northmen.
In return for this land, Rollo had sworn to adopt Christianity as his new religion and swear an oath of fealty to the French king, Charles the Simple. The Vikings were famously pagan, so to swap religions was a genuine show of pragmatism and commitment on Rollo’s part.
Settlement and learning to embrace French language and culture
Mounted Knights from an 11th century French manuscript. Fierce looking lot!
After the death of Rollo, his son William Longsword succeeded as leader of the ‘Northmen’. He continued his father's work, beginning by pledging allegiance and support to a succession of French kings, further rooting him in France. He also quelled several local rebellions. He also had to contend with the threat of conflict with neighbouring Brittany, who were concerned with what they saw as expansionism by the Normans. After a serious of battles and sieges, in which the Normans were victorious, a treaty was signed, and peace restored between the Bretons and the Normans. It looked like the Normans were here to stay. Sadly, this was not to last long for William Longsword; whilst en route to a peace conference with the untrustworthy and ambitious Arnulf, Count of Flanders in 942 he was attacked and murdered by Arnulf’s men.
Richard the Fearless then stabilised Normandy and laid solid foundations for the powerhouse it would become. It got off to an inauspicious start for the young successor to the throne of Normandy. He had been placed in captivity by King Louis IV of France, and his lands broken up. It was only his rescue by his guardians including a man of Norse origin called Bernard the Dane, that saved him from a lifetime of imprisonment or more than likely, his murder.
It was probably Richard that secured longevity for the Normans by his skill in war and politics. He had defeated and resisted all armies sent against him, notably by Otto, the Holy Roman Emperor and Louis IV, the King of France. He had also seen off further attempts to unseat him by the Count of Blois in 962. Feeling secure he set about investing more time and wealth in Normandy, where religion and architecture flourished, and peace reigned over the region. French customs were appropriated and French was to become the first language for the Normans. Richard’s children secured marriages with neighbouring noble families further embedding the Normans into French culture. It was Richard’s determination and drive that laid the foundations of success for the most famous of all the Normans, William the Conqueror!
A victim of circumstance? A very brief overview of the most famous Norman – William the Conqueror
Life was tumultuous to say the least for William, especially in his formative years. He succeeded to the Duchy of Normandy on the death of his father, Robert, in 1035. He was only 8 years old! He was the son of Robert, Duke of Normandy and Herleva, a tanner's daughter, who was the Duke's lover. This made William illegitimate or a ‘bastard,’ something that would raise questions among the Norman nobility about his right to rule. It was something that William was obviously sensitive about: he ordered, according to the historian Orderic Vitalis, that the surrendered garrison of Alençon have their hands and feet cut off for making derogatory remarks about William’s humble ancestry. Nevertheless, he was accepted as Duke and put under the care of a ward or bodyguard until he was able to rule in his own right. However, as you might have suspected by now, early medieval Normandy was always a place of political machination and people vying for power. Having control of a young adolescent Duke could be advantageous for advancement. Many an ambitious Norman lord tried to seize William for their own political ends. The young William went through at least 3 guardians that history knows of. One, Osbern, was murdered as William slept in the next bed. Another episode had him escaping in the dead of night by horseback dressed in his nightshirt!
William, it is certain, would have been influenced and alarmed by these occurrences, shaped by them into the hardy individual he was known to be. This would be displayed as he reached adulthood. Constant politicking and warfare had turned William into a skilled leader and fearless soldier, known for leading from the front in the battles the Battle of Val-es-Dunes (1047), Mortemer (1054) and Varaville (1057). This last battle was pivotal in finally eliminating the threat from his mortal enemy Geoffrey Martel of Anjou (ancestor of Newcastle Castle’s builder, King Henry II).
The Castle of Dinan in Brittany, shown on the Bayeux Tapestry.
Did you know?
The Normans were formidable creators of castles as a way of showing off their power and as a base for launching military raids. As early as the late 10th century, it is recorded that fortifications were springing up in Norman controlled land. Largely, castles were of the ringwork type (a tower and palisade protected by a ditch and bank). It is the motte and bailey which the Normans would become most well-known for; However, they cannot lay claim to their invention: the earliest known that we have some archaeological evidence for is in Vincy in Northern France which was built in 979, built not by the Normans, but by the notorious Count of Anjou, Fulk Nerra. Other notable early castles include the stone keep at Castle Loches constructed in 1010. Fulk, it is suggested, was prolific in his castle building with at least 60 constructed on his orders.
From this point on, peace was all but secured and William firmly ensconced as Duke of Normandy. Like his ancestors, he had proved himself and then set about expanding his influence over the rest of France, which included marrying Matilda, the daughter of the powerful Count of Flanders. William and Matilda were to have 10 children together thus securing their dynasty for future generations. They also started a fruitful relationship with the clergy, building countless churches and monasteries, which won him favour with the Pope. Contemporary chroniclers saw William as a virtuous and pious man when he wasn’t killing and maiming his enemies! He did not stop there, and his ambitions led him to look across the Channel to England, events that would culminate in one of the most pivotal events in British history.