Rollo ( Norman: Rou, Rolloun; Old Norse: Hrólfr; French: Rollon; died between 928 and 933) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France. He emerged as the outstanding warrior among the Norsemen who had secured a permanent foothold on Frankish soil in the valley of the lower Seine.
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Why does Rollo travel with Ragnar?
What did Rollo do in Uppsala?
What does Rollo do during his exile?
What does Rollo say to Ragnar?
Why does King Horik ask Ragnar to postpone the execution of Jarl Borg?
Why does King Horik say Rollo should go to Götaland?
Why did Haraldson torture Rollo?
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Is Rollo related to Ragnar in real life?
As noted, nothing is known of the historical Rollo's youth, upbringing, relatives, or even place of origin and there is no evidence he was related to Ragnar Lothbrok. The historical Gisela of France was a very young girl at the time of her betrothal to Rollo and so her character in the series is fictionalized.
Is Rollo a real Viking?
Rollo (Norman: Rou, Rolloun; Old Norse: Hrólfr; French: Rollon; died between 928 and 933) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France.
Did Rollo sleep with Ragnar wife?
It was revealed that Lagertha had slept with Rollo, an affair that resulted in Bjorn being born. Ragnar blindly thought that Bjorn was his son, yet he was actually Rollo's. Lagertha's betrayal was obviously greater than Ragnar's. In that regard, her reaction couldn't be justified.
Is Queen Elizabeth Related to Rollo?
His direct descendants became the British royal family after the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066, when Rollo's great-great-great-grandson, William the Conqueror (William I of England), successfully conquered England. William the Conqueror's direct descendants include current Queen Elizabeth II.
Who is the most famous Viking in history?
Ragnar Lothbrok Arguably the most famous Viking warrior of them all, not least for his role as the leading protagonist in Vikings, the History Channel's popular drama.
Is the story of Rollo true?
In reality the character, like many others in the series, is inspired by a real person. This is Hrolf Ganger, known by the nickname of Rollo the Walker, a Norwegian Viking warlord who is considered the first Duke of Normandy.
Is Rollo in love with Lagertha?
Ragnar and Rollo (Clive Standen) had a pretty tortured relationship, and the root of this epic sibling rivalry was a major romantic beef over Lagertha. The series heavily hints at the fact that Lagertha and Rollo once had a romantic encounter; Rollo may even be the actual father of Lagertha's son Bjorn.
Who did Lagertha marry after Ragnar?
After divorcing Ragnar, Lagertha gets married to the Earl of Hedeby. Sadly, the marriage turns out to be a terrible one. Sigvard is shown to be an abusive husband who terrorizes both Lagertha and Bjorn. Eventually, she stands up for herself and stabs him.
Did Lagertha and Aslaug sleep together?
And, like the mess he was, romanced her and slept with her. Even though he only slept with Aslaug once, he impregnated her and threw a wrench in his marriage. Lagertha might have even forgiven the infidelity, considering their open bed policy and the fact it only happened once.
Was there ever a black Queen of the Vikings?
To begin with, the real Haakon Sigurdsson is a white man, whereas Vikings: Valhalla's Haakon is a black woman. The real Haakon Sigurdsson was a powerful earl and pagan leader, who became the de facto ruler of Norway from 975 to 995, and coined the name Hakon the Powerful.
Is Emma of Normandy a descendant of Rollo?
Emma was one of nine children and most likely born in the AD 980s. A daughter of the Norman dukes, she was the great-granddaughter of the Viking warrior Rollo, the founder of Normandy who hailed from either Norway or Denmark. This made her of Scandinavian ancestry on both sides of the family.
Are Rollo and Ragnar Brothers?
Rollo, Ragnar's brother, is impulsive, wild, care-free and compulsive. Rollo is a fierce fighter who is often overshadowed by his brother. The relationship between Rollo and Ragnar is intense and always unpredictable.
Who was Rollo Lothbrok a real person?
Yes, Rollo Sigurdsson is loosely based on a real historical figure. Vikings creator Michael Hirst based the character on Rollo, Duke of Normandy and Count of Rouen. Rollo was a Scandinavian Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy in 911.
Was Lagertha a real Viking?
Legend says the real Lagertha was in fact a Viking shieldmaiden and was the ruler of Norway. The legends do confirm she was once the wife of the famous Viking King, Ragnar Lodbrok.
Did the real Ragnar have a brother?
There is no historical evidence to suggest that Rollo was Ragnar's brother, and it is likely that they were not even alive at the same time. Though both were prominent figures in the 9th century, their timelines don't match up. Rollo was born after Ragnar has already died.
Are there any Lothbrok in Vikings Valhalla?
While the show includes references to powerful Vikings past — Ragnar Lothbrok, former leader of Kattegat, and his first wife Lagertha, both of whom were major figures in Vikings — you get all the context you need from the new show itself.
Why did Rollo give the lordship to the Vikings?
It is still unclear as to whether Rollo was being given lordship over the Vikings already settled in the region in order to domesticate and restrain them, or the Franks around Bayeux in order to protect them from other Viking leaders settled in eastern Brittany and the Cotentin peninsula.
Where is Rollo from?
Statue of Rollo in Ålesund, Norway. Rollo was born in the mid-9th century; his place of birth is almost definitely located in the region of Scandinavia, although it is uncertain whether he is Danish or Norwegian.
What did Rollo do to the King's foot?
Instead, Rollo commanded one of his warriors to kiss the king's foot. The warrior complied by raising the king's foot to his mouth while the king remained standing, which "laid the king flat on his back" much to the amusement of Rollo's entourage.
Why did Rollo get the name Robert?
As was the custom, Rollo took the baptismal name Robert, after his godfather Robert I. The seal of the agreement was to be a marriage between Rollo and Gisla, daughter of Charles.
What island did Rollo flee to?
Benoît also repeated the claim that Rollo had been persecuted by a local ruler and had fled from there to "Scanza island", by which Benoît probably means Scania (Swedish Skåne ). While Faxe was physically much closer to Scania, the mountainous scenery of "Fasge", described by Benoît, would seem to be more like Fauske.
What is the name of the Vikings who became the first ruler of Normandy?
Norse paganism. later (pre- Schism) Roman Catholicism. Rollo ( Norman: Rou, Rollo (u)n; Old Norse: Hrólfr; French: Rollon; c. 860 – c. 930 AD) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, a region in northern France. He emerged as the outstanding warrior among the Norsemen who had secured a permanent foothold on Frankish soil in ...
Where did Rollo Flatnose live?
In addition, both Irish and Icelandic sources suggest that Rollo, as a young man, visited or lived in Scotland , where he had a daughter named Cadlinar ( Kaðlín, 'Kathleen'). Ketill Flatnose's ancestors were said to have come from Møre – Rollo's ancestral home in the Icelandic sources.
Who was Rollo the Viking?
Definition. Rollo (l. c.860-c.930 CE, r. 911-927 CE) was a Viking chieftain who became the founder and first ruler of the region of Normandy. He converted to Christianity as part of a deal with the Frankish king Charles the Simple (893-923 CE) in 911 CE (changing his name to Robert) and his story was then embellished upon by later Christian writers ...
Who was Rollo the Viking's grandson?
Rollo's grandson, Robert II Archbishop of Rouen (r. 989-1037 CE) was known as Robert the Dane and it is also clear that the majority of Viking raiders came from Denmark so a Danish origin is not only probable but reasonable. There is no clear consensus on this, however, and recent efforts to finally substantiate Rollo's origins have failed.
Why did Rollo ask the King to kiss his foot?
In order to finalize the deal, and show proper respect to the king, Rollo was then asked to kiss the king's foot but, as Dudo relates: Rollo was unwilling to kiss the king's foot and the bishops said: “He who accepts a gift such as this ought to go as far as kissing the king's foot.”.
What decree did Rollo make?
Rollo had introduced a decree ordering that farm implements be left out in the field and not taken into the house at the end of the day. To make it appear as though they had done so and been robbed, it seems that a farmer's wife hid her husband's ploughing implements.
Who was the Viking leader in the West Francia?
It is certain, however, that he was a Viking chieftain who conducted raids in the Kingdom of West Francia. The chronicler Flodoard (c.893-966 CE) describes a Viking raid c. 876 CE which devastated the region around Rouen and this corresponds to what Dudo says of Rollo's activity in the region at the same time. Viking raids in Francia began in 820 CE and continued regularly, with ships making easy incursions up the Seine River, until the peace was concluded with Rollo in c. 911 CE.
Why were Rollo's bodies placed in the sarcophagus?
Most likely, according to the archaeologists who opened the tomb, the two bodies were placed in the sarcophagus from another grave and those of Richard I and II relocated at an unknown point in the past to protect them from grave robbers. However that may be, it sheds no light on Rollo's origins. Remove Ads.
Where did Rollo come from?
It has also been claimed that Rollo was from Norway, again of aristocratic lineage, but this claim appears later in the 11th century CE and was popularized in the 12th century CE in the works of William of Malmesbury (c.1095-c.1143 CE).
Who is Rollo from the Vikings?
Rollo has become the Duke of Normandy after marrying Princess Gisla (the daughter of Emperor Charles) and is named defender of France from the Vikings.
Who plays Rollo in Ragnar?
Rollo Played by Clive Standen. Rollo, Ragnar’s brother, is impulsive, wild, care-free and compulsive. Rollo is a fierce fighter who is often overshadowed by his brother.
Who played Sir Gawain in Camelot?
Standen is best known for his portrayal of Sir Gawain in the Starz original series “Camelot” alongside Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green, and his starring role in the BBC America series “Robin Hood.”.
Life& Origins
Rollo is said to be born in the mid-9th century, but it is quite uncertain whether he is Norwegian or Danish. Dudo of Saint-Quentin wrote a biography of Rollo in the 10th century and identified that Rollo came from Denmark. Dudo’s contemporary was known as Robert the Dane, who was also Rollo’s great-grandson.
Viking Chieftain
While not much is told about Rollo’s life, most Icelandic literary sources agree that he was a Viking Chieftain who conducted multiple raids in the kingdom of West Francia. Viking raids in the kingdom of West Francia began in 820 CE, and the region saw several invasions by ships up in the Seine River.
Why was Rollo left out of Vikings?
Rollo returned to Frankia and his wife and didn’t appear in the rest of Vikings, not even in the series finale. Speaking to Express, Hirst explained that the reason why Rollo was left out of the series finale (and season 6 in general) is that his storyline had already finished in his saga, he had already been established as the ruler of Normandy, ...
Who played Ragnar in Vikings?
Vikings initially followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels and raids alongside his Viking brothers, from the beginning of the Viking Age – marked by the Lindisfarne raid, seen in season 1 – onward.
How many seasons of Vikings are there?
This allowed the audience to continue following the stories of Ragnar, Lagertha, Floki, and more, and Vikings lived on for a total of six seasons, ...
Who is Ragnar's oldest son?
It was even implied that Ragnar’s oldest son, Bjorn, could have been Rollo’s son, and he even told him so in season 5 when he arrived with his troops to aid Ivar, Hvitserk, and King Harald in their war against Lagertha, with his only condition being that Bjorn ’s life was spared.
Will Rollo be in season 6 of Vikings?
Although Vikings fans were hoping to see Rollo one final time in season 6, they were also aware that was not going to happen as his story didn’t seem fitting anymore with where the show was going, but luckily, Vikings: Valhalla will offer the closure the character (and fans) needs.
What happened to Rollo in Vikings?
What happened to Rollo in 'Vikings'? Although Rollo spent most of his time on Vikings trying to get out of his brother Ragnar's shadow, he was a big part of the series for quite a while. Then, at the end of Season 5, he made his final appearance.
Who is Rollo the Walker?
In real life, a man by the name of Hrolf Ganger went by Rollo the Walker and he was also a Duke of Normandy. According to certain lore, he was also a huge guy who dominated many around him. On Vikings, Rollo isn't the most physically intimidating character, but he is strong and smart in his military prowess. Article continues below advertisement.
Will there be a season 7 of Vikings?
Now that Vikings has sort of found a new home on Amazon Prime, fans are eager to know if it means there will be a Season 7 or even more seasons in the future. The plan seemed to be for the streaming platform to allow the final season to play out, whereas History didn't.
Is Rollo's story ending?
Rollo's Story in 'Vikings' Ended a Little Too Soon for Some Dedicated Fans. When Vikings was canceled on History with little closure, fans were devastated. Luckily, Amazon Prime swooped in at the last minute to save the series and give it a home for its final season.
Who made the Vikings?
Vikings creator Michael Hirst explained to GameSpot that the final episodes gave him closure. "I knew in a global sense where I was ultimately going," he said. "And it was very satisfactory, in a way, when we came to what I knew was going to be by the last season.
Who played Rollo in the movie?
And with his story all but wrapped up, it didn't seem totally necessary to bring him back again. The actor who played Rollo, Clive Standen, explained to Entertainment Tonight that he doesn't see a need to portray a character if the story isn't important.
Did Rollo return to the Vikings?
At the time, he had returned to Vikings to reprise his role as Rollo, but in Season 6 on Amazon Prime, Rollo didn't make an appearance, as much as some fans had hoped he would. Article continues below advertisement.
Why does Rollo travel with Ragnar?
Rollo travels with Ragnar's expedition to England to claim their land in Wessex from King Ecbert and to get away from Siggy. After Ragnar agrees to Ecbert's request to aid Princess Kwenthrith in her bid to rule Mercia, Rollo accompanies the joint Viking and Wessex force in battle.
What did Rollo do in Uppsala?
Rollo, Siggy, and her daughter join Ragnar and his family for the pilgrimage at Uppsala. During the festivities, Rollo engages in the customary riotous behavior, such as drinking, celebrating, and having sex with other women, much to Siggy's disapproval.
What does Rollo do during his exile?
During their exile, Rollo combs the area for warriors willing to fight Jarl Borg when Ragnar returns. Despite his futile efforts, Siggy is heartened to see Rollo finding purpose as a warrior and a man once more. Word, meanwhile, has reached Ragnar of Jarl Borg's treachery and of the flight of his family.
What does Rollo say to Ragnar?
Rollo indirectly apologizes to Ragnar by explaining that he merely wanted to step out of his brother's shadow, yet found no sunlight when he did. Humiliated, Rollo decides to leave Kattegat, although Siggy convinces him to stay. Four years later, Rollo has descended into self-destructive behavior.
Why does King Horik ask Ragnar to postpone the execution of Jarl Borg?
King Horik asks Ragnar to postpone the execution of Jarl Borg, as they still have no new ally to help them in their raids. Rollo asks Horik if Ragnar should reprieve Jarl Borg after all he has done, to which the King repli es the execution might discourage and deter any possible allies from joining them .
Why does King Horik say Rollo should go to Götaland?
He says that Rollo should go to Götaland to ask Jarl Borg to restore the alliance between himself , Ragnar and King Horik.
Why did Haraldson torture Rollo?
As a way of finding them, Haraldson has Rollo captured and tortured to make him reveal Ragnar's location, but Rollo refuses and remains steadfast. When Ragnar learns that Haraldson has tortured his brother, he challenges the Earl to a trial by combat which the Earl accepts.
Overview
Biography
Dudo's chronicle about Rollo seizing Rouen in 876 is supported by the contemporary chronicler Flodoard, who records that Robert of the Breton March waged a campaign against the Vikings, nearly levelling Rouen and other settlements; eventually, he conceded "certain coastal provinces" to them.
According to Dudo, Rollo struck up a friendship in England with a king called Al…
Name
The Heimskringla (written in the 13th century) records that Rolf the Ganger went to Normandy and ruled it. So it is that Rollo is generally presumed to be a latinisation of the Old Norse name Hrólfr – a theory that is supported by the rendition of Hrólfr as Roluo in the Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus. It is also sometimes suggested that Rollo may be a Latinised version of another Norse name, Hrollaugr.
Origins and historiography
Rollo was born in the mid-9th century; his place of birth is almost definitely located in the region of Scandinavia, although it is uncertain whether he is Danish or Norwegian. The earliest well-attested historical event associated with Rollo is his part in leading the Vikings who besieged Paris in 885–886 but were fended off by Odo of France.
Descendants
Rollo's son and heir, William Longsword, and grandchild, Richard the Fearless, forged the Duchy of Normandy into West Francia's most cohesive and formidable principality. The descendants of Rollo and his men assimilated with their maternal French-Catholic culture and became known as the Normans, lending their name to the region of Normandy.
Legacy
After Rollo's death, his descendants continued to rule Normandy until the fall of the French monarchy. In 1204, it was lost by John Lackland to the French King Philip Augustus; most of the Capetian kings also descended from Rollo through various lines. Henry V, a descendant of John Lackland, reconquered Normandy as part of his conquest of France. However, it was lost again during the reign of his son Henry VI. Rollo's dynasty was able to survive through a combination o…
Depictions in fiction
Rollo is the subject of the 17th-century play Rollo Duke of Normandy, written by John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, Ben Jonson, and George Chapman.
A character, broadly inspired by the historical Rollo but including many events from before the real Rollo was born, played by Clive Standen, is Ragnar Lothbrok's brother in the History Channel television series Vikings.
Further reading
• Dudo of St. Quentin (1998). Eric Christiansen (ed.). History of the Normans. Translated by Eric Christiansen. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press. See
• Elizabeth van Houts, ed. (1992). The Gesta Normannorum Ducum of William of Jumièges, Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni.
• Elizabeth van Houts, ed. (2000). The Normans in Europe. Translated by Elizabeth van Houts. Manchester and New York: Manchester University.
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The Debate Over Rollo's Birthplace
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- The negotiations that Rollo and Charles the Simple entered into begat one of the most important documents in medieval European history. The Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte essentially changed the Vikings forever. Charles, with firsthand knowledge of the martial skills and valor of the Vikings, decided to try and ally himself with Rollo to stop furth...
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