Rollo

Leader of the Normans

His name was probably Hrólfr in Norse (Crouch, p. 297).

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

(supposed) Date of Baptism: 912.

He is said to have assumed the name Robert on his baptism (Baldwin). Crouch (p. 8) notes evidence that if Rollo was baptized, he may not have appreciated the fine points of the theology (He is said to have decapitated prisoners in honour of his ancestral northern pantheon as part of the celebration of the baptism.)

Date of Death: between 928 and 933.

Place of Death: unknown.

The range of dates is given by Baldwin. Père Anselme (2:463) gives 930 or 931.

Relationships

Father: unknown.

Mother: unknown.

Rollo’s father is usually given as Rognvaldr, jarl of Møre. Crouch argues that Richer's identification of the father as "Ketil" is more likely to be correct. Baldwin discusses the evidence.

Spouse: “Poppa”.

This relationship is given by père Anselme (2:463) and by Baldwin. Baldwin discusses hypotheses about her parentage. Nelson (pp. 9 - 12) considers the evidence for the marriage dubious.

Children:

William I of Normandy married (1) Sprota; married (2) Liutgard, daughter of Heribert II, count of Vermandois.

Gerloc or Adèle, married Guillaume Tête d’Étoupe, count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine.

References

Anselme de Sainte-Marie. Histoire Généalogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France, des Pairs, Grands Officiers de la Couronne, de la Maison du Roy et des Anciens Barons du Royaume. 9 Volumes (Paris: 1726-1733).

Baldwin, Stewart. “Rollo "of Normandy"” in The Henry Project.

Crouch, David. Normans: The History of a Dynasty. (Hambledon, 2002).

Nelson, Janet L. “Normandy’s Early History since Normandy Before 1066” in Normandy and Its Neighbours: 900 to 1250 (Belgium: Brepols, 2011), pp. 3 - 15.

Tanner, Heather J. Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879 - 1160. (Brill: 2004).