The Normans; told chiefly in relation to their conquest of England

Contents

The Men of the Dragon Ships . . . 1-29 The ancient Northmen, 1-3 — Manner of life, 4-6 — Halllife and hospitality, 7 — Sagamen, 8 — Sea-kings and vikings, 9— Charlemagne and the vikings, II — Viking voyages and settlements, 12-22 — The Northmen in France, 23-27 — Modern inheritance from the Northmen, 28.

II. Rolf the Ganger ...... 3°~5 I

Harold Haarfager, 30— Jarl Rognwald, 32— Rolf's outlawry, 33 — Charles the Simple, 35 — The Archbishop of Rouen, 37 — Hasting, 38 — Siege of Bayeux, 40 — Rolf's character, 41 — The founding of Normandy, 43 — The king's grant, 45 — Rolf's christening, 46 — Law and order, 48 — Rolf's death, 50,

III

French influences ; Charlemagne ; Charles the Fat, 52-54 — Feudalism, 55 — The Franks, 55 — Norman loyalty to France, 57 — Longsvvord's politics, 60 — The Bayeux Northmen, 61 — Longsword's love of the cloister, 63 — Longsword's character, 64.

IV

Longsword's son, 66 — A Norman castle, 67 — News of Longsword's death, 69 — His funeral, 70 — Richard made

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duke, 70— The guardianship of Louis of France, 72 — Detention of Richard and escape from Laon, 73-75 — Hugh of Paris, 76 — Louis at Rouen, 77 — Norman plots, So — Harold Blaatand, 81 — Normandy against France, 82 — Independence of Normandy, 84 — Normandy and England, 85— Gerberga, 85 — Alliance with Hugh of Paris; with Hugh Capet, 86-88— Death of Richard, 89.

V

Duke Richard the Good .... 90-114 Richard the Good's succession, 90— French influences, 91 — Lack of records, 91 — Prosperity of the duchy, 92 — Richard's love of courtliness and splendor, 92 — Wrongs of the common people ; their complaint, 93-95— Raoul of Ivry, 96 — The Flemish colony ; the Falaise fair ; Richard's brother William, 97, 98 — Robert of France, 99— Richard's' marriage, 101 — /Ethelred the Unready, 102 — The Danes in England, 103 — Emma of Normandy, 105 ; Trouble with Burgundy, 107 — The lands of Dreux, 109 — The Count- Bishop of Chalons, no ; Norman chroniclers, 112 — Ermenoldus ; the third Richard and his murder, 112-114.

VI. Robert the Magnificent . . 1 15-129

Power and wealth of Normandy, 115 — The English princes, 118 — Cnut of England and Queen Emma, 119— Robert's lavishness ; Baldwin of Flanders, 120-122 — The tanner's daughter, 122 — Norman pride and Robert's defiance of public opinion, 124 — Robert's pilgrimage to Jerusalem, 125 — His death at Nicsea, 129.

VII

Hasting the pirate, 130 — Early Norman colonies in the south of Europe, 132 — The Norman character, 134 — Tancred de Hauteville, 135 — Serlon de Hauteville, 136 — Sicily, 139 — Pope Leo the Tenth, 140 — Robert Guiscard, 141 — Rapid progress of the Norman-Italian States and their prosperity, 142 — Norman architecture in Sicily, 145.

CONTENTS. IX

VIII. Page

The Youth of William the Conqueror . 149-170 Typical character of William, 149 — Loneliness of his childhood, 151 — William de Talvas, 152 — The feudal system, 153— Christianity and knighthood, 156 — Ceremonies at the making of a knight, 157 — The oaths of knighthood, 161 — The Truce of God, 166-170.