TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: Original spelling and grammar has mostly been retained. Figures were moved from within paragraphs to between paragraphs. Footnotes were re-indexed and moved to the ends of the corresponding paragraphs. The original page numbers are embedded in square brackets, e.g. "[Pg135]". TXT Versions only: Text that was originally italicized is in this version marked before and after with /solidus characters/. Small caps text is converted to all uppercase. The notation "^{n}" means that n is superscript. Bold text is «surrounded by double angle quotation marks». More details are located in the TRANSCRIBER'S ENDNOTE. THE NORMANS [Illustration:/Frontispiece./ BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. FALAISE.] THE STORY OF THE NATIONS THE NORMANS TOLD CHIEFLY IN RELATION TO THEIR CONQUEST OF ENGLAND BY SARAH ORNE JEWETT NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN 1898 COPYRIGHT, 1886 BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS The Knickerbocker Press, New York TO MY DEAR GRANDFATHER DOCTOR WILLIAM PERRY, OF EXETER [Illustration: EUROPE AT THE CLOSE OF THE 11^{TH} CENTURY] [Illustration] CONTENTS. I. PAGE THE MEN OF THE DRAGON SHIPS 1-29 The ancient Northmen, 1-3 — Manner of life, 4-6 — Hall-life and hospitality, 7 — Sagamen, 8 — Sea-kings and vikings, 9 — Charlemagne and the vikings, 11 — Viking voyages and settlements, 12-22 — The Northmen in France, 23-27 — Modern inheritance from the Northmen, 28. II. ROLF THE GANGER 30-51 Harold Haarfager, 30 — Jarl Rögnwald, 32 — Rolf's outlawry, 33 — Charles the Simple, 35 — The Archbishop of Rouen, 37 — Hasting, 38 — Siege of Bayeux, 40 — Rolf's character, 41 — The founding of Normandy, 43 — The king's grant, 45 — Rolf's christening, 46 — Law and order, 48 — Rolf's death, 50. III. WILLIAM LONGSWORD 52-65 French influences; Charlemagne; Charles the Fat, 52-54 — Feudalism, 55 — The Franks, 55 — Norman loyalty to France, 57 — Longsword's politics, 60 — The Bayeux Northmen, 61 — Longsword's love of the cloister, 63 — Longsword's character, 64. IV. RICHARD THE FEARLESS 66-89 Longsword's son, 66 — A Norman castle, 67 — News of Longsword's death, 69 — His funeral, 70 — Richard made duke, 70 — The guardianship of Louis of France, 72 — Detention of Richard and escape from Laon, 73-75 — Hugh of Paris, 76 — Louis at Rouen, 77 — Norman plots, 80 — Harold Blaatand, 81 — Normandy against France, 82 — Independence of Normandy, 84 — Normandy and England, 85 — Gerberga, 85 — Alliance with Hugh of Paris; with Hugh Capet, 86-88 — Death of Richard, 89. V. DUKE RICHARD THE GOOD 90-114