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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

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NORMANS; TOLD CHIEFLY IN RELATION TO THEIR CONQUEST OF ENGLAND ***
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
Original spelling and grammar has mostly been retained. Figures were moved from within paragraphs to between paragraphs. Footnotes were re-indexed and moved to the ends of the corresponding paragraphs. The original page numbers are embedded in square brackets, e.g. "[Pg135]".
More details are located in the TRANSCRIBER'S ENDNOTE.
THE NORMANS

G.P. Putnam Emblem


Go to Illus. List
Frontispiece. BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. FALAISE.
THE STORY OF THE NATIONS

THE NORMANS
TOLD CHIEFLY IN RELATION TO THEIR CONQUEST OF ENGLAND






BY
SARAH ORNE JEWETT



NEW YORK
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN
1898
Copyright, 1886
BY
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS



The Knickerbocker Press, New York
TO
MY DEAR GRANDFATHER
Doctor WILLIAM PERRY, of Exeter
Go to Illus. List
EUROPE AT THE CLOSE OF THE 11TH CENTURY

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.

PAGE
BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. FALAISE. Frontispiece
MAP—EUROPE AT CLOSE OF ELEVENTH CENTURY 1
IRON SPEAR AND CHISEL 5
VIKING SHIP 13
VIKING 17
NORSE BUCKLE 21
NORWEGIAN FIORD 31
FLAILS AS MILITARY WEAPONS 77
ABBEY CHURCH OF ST. OUEN. (ROUEN) 87
QUEEN EMMA OR ÆLFGIFU 105
NORMAN COSTUMES 117
ROBERT, DUKE OF NORMANDY, CARRIED IN A LITTER TO JERUSALEM 127
NORMAN PLOUGHMAN 153
ARMING A KNIGHT 157
CONFERRING KNIGHTHOOD ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE 167
KING CNUT 179
DOORWAY OF CATHEDRAL, CHARTRES 217
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 221
CRYPT OF MOUNT ST. MICHEL 241
NORMAN ARCHER 253
GUY, COUNT OF PONTHIEU 259
MOUNT ST. MICHEL 263
OLD HOUSES, DÔL 265
FUNERAL OF EADWARD THE CONFESSOR 273
STIGAND, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 277
MAP—NORMANDY IN 1066 281
MAP—ENGLAND 289
NORMAN VESSEL 297
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 301
NORMAN MINSTREL 305
SOLDIER IN CLOAK 309
DEATH OF HAROLD 325
NORMAN LADY 326
BATTLE-AXES 329
ODO, BISHOP OF BAYEUX 335

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).