Rollo
Rollo was a Norse chieftain of disputed Scandinavian origin — Norwegian tradition claims him, while some sources suggest Danish ancestry — who became the first ruler of Normandy. He was among the most formidable Viking leaders operating in the Frankish kingdom, famously participating in the Viking siege of Paris in 885-886, one of the most dramatic episodes of the Viking Age. In 911, after years of raiding in the Seine valley, Rollo concluded the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte with the Frankish king Charles the Simple. In exchange for his baptism and an oath of fealty, Rollo received the land at the mouth of the Seine that would become Normandy — named for its new Norse masters. The ceremony of submission was reportedly marred by Rollo's refusal to personally kiss the king's foot, delegating the act to one of his men who hoisted the king's leg to his lips, tumbling Charles over. Rollo proved an effective ruler, consolidating Norman power, maintaining order, and eventually adopting Frankish customs and the French language. His descendants assimilated rapidly into Frankish aristocratic culture while retaining Viking administrative organization. His great-great-great-grandson William the Conqueror would carry Norman ambition to its ultimate expression by conquering England in 1066, making Rollo the ancestor of the British royal line.
- Lived: 846 CE – 930 CE
- Nationality: norwegian
- Roles: military_leader, leader
