Rollo the viking
Robert I or Rollo the Viking as he was more familiarly known as, was founder and first ruler of the Viking principality. The name Rollo was taken from a Latin word for the Old Norse name Rolf. Rollo the Viking was born in 846 and died around the age of 72 in 931. He was buried in the Rouen Cathedral which is in the Northwest of France. Rollo was a very powerful Viking leader, he was nicknamed Rolf the Walker by his men because as he was so tall and preferred to walk rather than ride the little Norwegian horses. Rollo the Viking was the Great Great Grandfather of William the Conqueror.
the story
Rollo the Viking's is initially one of violence. In 774, whilst Charlemagne the King of Italy was having dinner one day, A fleet of Viking upon the instruction from Rollo the Viking, came toward the land. Charlemagne knew at once that they were Vikings because their ships that had one central mast and rows of shields on the sides. These vessels also had the distinctive head and tail of a dragon on the end and front of the ship. In fear of invasion, King Charlemagne ordered his men to grab prepare for battle, the quickly grabbed their Armour, Spears and Swords and head down to the docks were Rollo and his men were disembarking. The Vikings knew about Charlemagne’s power and when confronted by his men, they left as soon as they sore him come down to the docks.
Soon after King Charlemagne past away, Rollo heard about his death and decided that it was a good time to invade once again. Rollo the Viking he sent one hundred and twenty Viking vessels to swiftly row up the River Seine and upon arriving a mass of Vikings poured into Paris, willing to kill, burn and steal from anyone who got in their way. They hammered at the walls of the city with battering rams and used slings firing boulders into the city. The Vikings eventually dug a mine underneath the city wall, holding it together with wooden planks. Their plan was to set the wood on fire and break down the fortress but instead earth came toppling down and the city wall remained intact.
It was estimated that there were thirty or forty thousand Vikings and only two hundred Franks (Frenchmen) who were defending the city. However the Franks leaders proved to be much smarter than the Vikings and this battle went for months and months. Rollo the Viking ordered more Vikings to come and once this news came that more Vikings were at hand. The Franks were so frightened that they offered the Vikings seven hundred pounds of silver to go home. They excepted it gladly knowing that their enemy was in fear.
Rollo the Viking realised that the Frankish way of living was better than the Viking way of life and that the worship of the Christian god was better than that of Odin and Thor. Rollo the Viking led his army back into France some years later, to make peace with the Frankish. Rollo proved that he was willing to give up his pirate life to live in France, so the King willingly gave him land.