Research Notes:

Orkneyinga Saga names “Hrolf who conquered Normandy” as son of “Earl Rognwald” and his wife “Ragnhild the daughter of Hrolf Nose”, adding that he was so big that no horse could carry him, giving rise to his name “Göngu-Hrolf”. Snorre names "Rolf and Thorer" as the two sons of "Earl Ragnvald" and his wife Hild, recording that Rolf was banished from Norway by King Harald and travelled to the Hebrides, settling first in Orkney before moving southwards through Scotland, and eventually conquering Normandy. The Historia Norwegie records that, after Orkney was conquered by "principi Rogwaldi" and his followers, "de quorum collegio…Rodulfus" captured Rouen in Normandy, commenting that he was known as "Gongurolfr" because he was obliged to walk as he was too large to travel on horseback.

The parentage of Rollo/Rolf is uncertain and the chronology of his life confused. Richer names "Rollone filio Catilli" as leader of the Vikings who raided along the Loire and against whom "Robertus Celticæ Galliæ dux" campaigned. No further reference has been found to "Catillus/Ketel". Flodoard provides no information on Rollo´s ancestry. The early 12th century William of Malmesbury states that "Rollo…[was] born of noble lineage among the Norwegians, though obsolete from its extreme antiquity" and adds that he was "banished by the king´s command from his own country". The later Orkneyinga Saga is more specific, naming “Hrolf who conquered Normandy” as son of “Earl Rognwald” and his wife “Ragnhild the daughter of Hrolf Nose”, adding that he was so big that no horse could carry him, giving rise to his name “Göngu-Hrolf”. Snorre names "Rolf and Thorer" as the two sons of "Earl Ragnvald" and his wife Hild, recording that Rolf was banished from Norway by King Harald and travelled to the Hebrides, settling first in Orkney before moving southwards through Scotland, and eventually conquering Normandy. The Historia Norwegie records that, after Orkney was conquered by "principi Rogwaldi" and his followers, "de quorum collegio…Rodulfus" captured Rouen in Normandy, commenting that he was known as "Gongurolfr" because he was obliged to walk as he was too large to travel on horseback.... He records that the king of Denmark defeated the two brothers and killed Gorm, that Rollo fled the country for “Scanzam insulam”, from where he went “ad Anglos”, and made peace with "rex Anglorum...Alstemus"....

"Rollo dux cum valida Danorum juventute" entered “Neustriam”, besieged Paris for four years and captured Bayeux (“Baiocas”). The Chronicon Sancti Michaelis records that “venit Rollo in Normannia V Kal Dec” in 876.... Guillaume de Jumièges records that Rollo besieged “Carnotenam urbem” [Chartres] but was forced to withdraw by "Richardus Burgundionum dux...cum...Antelmus episcopus". William of Malmesbury records that "Rollo…experienced a check at Chartres" but escaped the "plentiful slaughter" of the Vikings by the townspeople, before capturing Rouen "in 876". Guillaume of Jumièges records that Charles III "le Simple" King of the West Franks granted "terram maritimam ab Eptæ flumine usque ad Britannicos limites" together with "sua filia...Gisla" to Rollo who renounced his campaigns, that the king added "tota Britannia" and that “ipsius provinciæ principibus Berengerio atque Alanno” swore allegiance to Rollo. The charter which confirms the original grant (assuming that there was such a document) has not survived. However, the grant of land is inferred from a charter dated 14 Mar 918, under which land was donated to the monastery of Saint-Germain-des-Prés specifying that the donation excluded "that part…which we have granted to the Normans of the Seine, namely to Rollo and his companions". The uncertain nature of the demise was the source of future conflict between the French crown, which claimed that Normandy was an enfeofment for which the ruling duke owed allegiance, and the later dukes of Normandy, who claimed that it was an unconditional allod for which no allegiance was owed.

The version of events recorded by Flodoard provides a different slant and names two Viking leaders. Firstly, Flodoard records that in 923 "Ragenoldus princeps Nortmannorum" who occupied "in fluvio Ligeri" devastated "Franciam trans Isaram", that "Nortmanni" made peace in 924 "cum Francis", that King Raoul granted them "Cinomannis et Baiocæ" [Maine and Bayeux], but that "Raginoldus cum suis Nortmannis" devasted the land between the Loire and the Seine. This passage makes no mention of the supposed earlier grant of land along the shore. Secondly, the same source records that "Raginoldus cum suis Nortmannis" devasted Burgundy in 925, that Héribert [II] Comte de Vermandois besieged Norman castles "super Sequanam", that "Nortmanni" devastated "pagum Belvacensem atque Ambianensem" [Beauvais and Amboise], while Comte Héribert and Arnoul Count of Flanders forced "Rollo princeps" from his strongholds. Thirdly, Flodoard states that "Hugo filius Rotberti et Heribertus comes" campaigned against "Nortmannos" in 927, that "filius Rollonis" did homage to ex-king Charles at "castellum…Auga", and that "Rollo" held "filius Heriberti Odo" as a hostage in 928, which suggests some sort of alliance between Rollo and Comte Héribert. Guillaume of Jumièges records that Rollo was baptised in 912 by "Francone archiepiscopo", adopting the name ROBERT after "Rodbertus dux" who acted as his sponsor, and records the donations he made at the time to various religious institutions. William of Malmesbury records that "it was determined by treaty, that [Rollo] should be baptised, and hold the country of the king as his lord".

William of Malmesbury records that Rollo died at Rouen. The date of his death is uncertain: Flodoard names Rollo as living in 928...but the same source names "Willelmus princeps Nortmannorum" in 933. The Chronicon Sancti Michaelis records the death of “Rollo” in 917 and the succession of “Guillelmus filius eius”. The Brevis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris records that "Rollo et Willelmus filius eius" were buried "apud Rothomagum in ecclesia beatæ Mariæ". Orderic Vitalis implies that the transfer of Robert's body to Rouen Cathedral took place after the "the ninth year" in office of Archbishop Maurilius, who had succeeded Mauger de Normandie, which would date the event to [1064]. He is known to history as ROBERT I Comte [de Normandie], although no early source has been identified which refers to him by this name or title. ²