Rollo and the Founding of Normandy

What happened

After years of Viking raids up the Seine, in 911 the Frankish king Charles the Simple granted the Norse leader Rollo lands around Rouen in return for his loyalty and conversion to Christianity. Rollo's followers settled there, and the region became known as Normandy — the 'land of the Northmen.'

Why it matters

Rollo's duchy grew into one of medieval Europe's most powerful states, and his descendant William the Conqueror would seize the throne of England in 1066.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Rollo of Normandy · Reputable source