Rollo Ragnvaldsson

Some of the information and historical sources regarding Rollo’s early life are rather sketchy. The dates for Rollo’s birth and death aren’t known exaclty. He was born some time around 850 – 870, and died some time around 928 – 933. He was born somewhere in Scandinavia, likely either Norway or Denmark.

It is believed that Rollo was a giant of a man, even being given the nickname “The Walker” because he was said to be too big to ride on a horse.

According to some Scandinavian sagas, Rollo wanted to make himself independent of King Harald I of Norway, so he sailed off to raid Scotland, England, Flanders and France on pirating expeditions.

In the year 911, the Viking leader Rollo and his men, laid siege to the city of Chartres in West Francia, but resulted in a defeat of the Norsemen. However, Rollo quickly emerged as the most outstanding warrior among the Norsemen, and Charles the Simple, the king of West Francia, granted Rollo and his men lands in what is now Rouen in exchange for Rollo agreeing to end his plundering, to swear allegiance to him, convert to Christianity and to pledge to defend them from future Viking raiders. Rollo became the Count of Rouen, and it is this territory that would expand into what came to be known as the Duchy of Normandy. Normandy was named after themsleves; Northmen or Norsemen.

Rollo was baptised in 912, possibly at the same time as his son. He gave his son, William Longsword, governance of the dukedom in 927 before his death, making William the second ruler of Normandy, from 927 until his assassination in 942. Although Rollo was baptised, it is believed that he still died a pagan.

Rollo gave birth to a dynasty that would change Europe forever. His descendants would become known as the Normans; a powerful French dynasty with viking origins. These descendants continued to rule over the region, turning it into one of France’s most prosperous and resilient provinces. One descendant in particular would invade and conquer England in the year 1066, and become William I, King of England, also known as William the Conqueror.