The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Normans; told chiefly in relation to their conquest of England
Title: The Normans; told chiefly in relation to their conquest of England
Author: Sarah Orne Jewett
Release date: February 15, 2014 [eBook #44920]
Most recently updated: October 24, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by RichardW, sp1nd and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)
THE NORMANS
TOLD CHIEFLY IN RELATION TO THEIR CONQUEST
OF ENGLAND
BY
NEW YORK
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN
1898
BY
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
The Knickerbocker Press, New York
MY DEAR GRANDFATHER
Doctor WILLIAM PERRY, of Exeter
CONTENTS.
| I. | |
| PAGE | |
| The Men of the Dragon Ships | 1-29 |
| The ancient Northmen, 1-3 — Manner of life, 4-6 — Hall-life and hospitality, 7 — Sagamen, 8 — Sea-kings and vikings, 9 — Charlemagne and the vikings,11— Viking voyages and settlements, 12-22 — The Northmen in France, 23-27 — Modern inheritance from the Northmen, 28. | |
| II. | |
| Rolf the Ganger | 30-51 |
| Harold Haarfager, 30 — Jarl Rögnwald, 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. | |
| William Longsword | 52-65 |
| French influences; Charlemagne; Charles the Fat, 52-54 — Feudalism, 55 — The Franks, 55 — Norman loyalty to France, 57 — Longsword's politics, 60 — The Bayeux Northmen, 61 — Longsword's love of the cloister, 63 — Longsword's character, 64. | |
| IV. | |
| Richard the Fearless | 66-89 |
| Longsword's son, 66 — A Norman castle, 67 — News of Longsword's death, 69 — His funeral, 70 — Richard made 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, 80 — 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 — Æthelred 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, 110; Norman chroniclers, 112 — Ermenoldus; the third Richard and his murder, 112-114. | |
| VI. | |
| Robert the Magnificent | 115-129 |
| 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 Nicæa, 129. | |
| VII. | |
| The Normans in Italy | 130-148 |
| 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. | |
| VIII. | |
| 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. | |
| IX. | |
| Across the Channel | 171-194 |
| Changes in England, 171 — Æthelred, 172 — The Danegelt, 173 — The Danes again, 175 — Swegen, 177 — Cnut, 178 — Eadmund Ironside, 180 — Cnut's pilgrimage, 181 — Godwine, 184 — Eadward the Confessor, 187 — The Dover quarrel, 189 — Normans in England, 192 — Castles, 193. | |
| X. | |
| The Battle of Val-ès-Dunes | 195-214 |
| Roger de Toesny, 196 — William's boyhood, 198 — Escape from Valognes, 199 — The Lord of Rye, 200 — Guy of Burgundy, 201 — Rebellion, 202 — Val-ès-Dunes, 204 — Ralph of Tesson, 206 — Neal of St. Saviour, 208 — William's leniency, 211 — His mastery, 213 — The siege of Alençon, 213. | |
| XI. | |
| The Abbey of Bec | 215-231 |
| Cloistermen, 215 — Soldiery and scholarship, 216 — Building of religious houses, 218 — Cathedrals, 220 — Benedictines, 222 — Herluin and his abbey, 223 — Lanfranc, 226 — His influence in Normandy, 229. | |
| XII. | |
| Matilda of Flanders | 232-254 |
| Flanders, 232 — Objections to William's marriage, 234 — Marriage of William and Matilda at Eu, 236 — Mauger, 237 — Rebuilding of churches, 239 — William's early visit to England, 242 — Godwine's return, 244 — His death, 245 — Jealousy of France, 246 — The French invasion of Normandy, 247 — Battle of Mortemer, 248 — The curfew bell, 251 — Battle of Varaville, 252 — Harold of England's visit, 254. | |
| XIII. | |
| Harold the Englishman | 255-274 |
| Causes and effects of war, 255 — Relations of William and Harold, 256 — Harold's unfitness as a leader of the English, 257 — His shipwreck on the coast of Ponthieu, 260 — William's palace in Rouen, 261 — News of Harold's imprisonment by Guy of Ponthieu, 262 — Harold's release, 264 — His life in Normandy, 265 — His oath, 267 — Eadward's last illness, 269 — Harold named as successor, 272. | |
| XIV. | |
| News from England | 275-294 |
| Harold made king, 275 — William hears the news, 276 — The Normans begin to plan for war, 278 — William's embassy, 280 — The council at Lillebonne, 280 — The barons hold back, 282 — Lanfranc's influence at Rome, 286 — Tostig, 287 — Harold's army, 290 — Harold Hardrada, 291 — The battle of Stamford Bridge, 293. | |
| XV. | |
| The Battle of Hastings | 295-311 |
| Normandy makes ready for war, 295 — The army at St. Valery, 297 — William crosses the Channel, 298 — The camp at Hastings, 300 — Harold of England, 302 — Senlac, 304 — The battle array, 306 — The great fight, 308 — The Norman victory, 310. | |
| XVI. | |
| William the Conqueror | 312-344 |
| Norman characteristics, 312 — William's coronation, 314 — His plan of government, 316 — Return to Normandy, 320 — Caen, 322 — The Bayeux tapestry, 323 — Matilda crowned queen, 325 — Difficulties of government, 327 — The English forests, 330 — Decay of learning in Eadward's time, 331 — William's laws against slavery, 332 — His son Robert, 333 — The queen's death, 335 — Odo's plot, 335 — William's injury at Mantes, 337 — His illness and death, 339 — Description from Roman de Rou, 341. | |
| XVII. | |
| Kingdom and Dukedom | 345-358 |
| William Rufus, 345 — Robert of Normandy, 346 — William Rufus in England, 349 — Duke Robert goes on pilgrimage, 351 — Murder of William Rufus, 353 — Henry Beauclerc seizes the English crown, 355 — Death of Prince William, 358. | |
| XVIII. | |
| Conclusion | 359-366 |
| Development of Norman character, 360 — Northern influences, 362 — The great inheritance, 365. | |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
The ten illustrations in this volume which are from designs by Thomas Macquoid, have been reproduced (through the courtesy of Messrs. Chatto & Windus) from Mrs. Macquoid's "Pictures and Legends from Normandy and Brittany," the American edition of which was published by G. P. Putnam's Sons.
Descendants of ROLF
(DUKES OF THE NORMANS)
| Parent | Child |
|---|---|
| ROLF, First Duke of the Normans, r. 911-927. | WILLIAM LONGSWORD, r. 927-943. |
| WILLIAM LONGSWORD, r. 927-943. | RICHARD THE FEARLESS, r. 943-996. |
| RICHARD THE FEARLESS, r. 943-996. | RICHARD THE GOOD, r. 996-1026. |
| Emma, m. 1. Æthelred II. of England; m. 2. Cnut of England and Denmark. | |
| RICHARD THE GOOD, r. 996-1026. | RICHARD III, r. 1026-1028. |
| ROBERT THE MAGNIFICENT, r. 1028-1035. | |
| ROBERT THE MAGNIFICENT, r. 1028-1035. | WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR r. 1035-1087. |
| WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, r. 1035-1087. | ROBERT II., r. 1087-1096 (from 1096 to 1100 the Duchy was held by his brother William), and 1100-1106 (when he was overthrown at Tinchebrai by his brother Henry). |
| WILLIAM RUFUS, r. 1096-1100. | |
| HENRY I., r. 1106-1135. | |
| Adela, m. Stephen, Count of Blois. | |
| Adela, m. Stephen, Count of Blois. | STEPHEN OF BLOIS, s. 1135. |
| HENRY I., r. 1106-1135. | Matilda, m. GEOFFRY COUNT OF ANJOU AND MAINE (who won the Duchy from Stephen). |
| Matilda, m. GEOFFRY COUNT OF ANJOU AND MAINE (who won the Duchy from Stephen). | HENRY II., invested with the Duchy, 1150, d. 1189. |
| HENRY II., invested with the Duchy, 1150, d. 1189. | RICHARD THE LION-HEART, r. 1189-1199. |
| JOHN, r. 1199-1204 (when Normandy was conquered by France). |