Duchy of Normandy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duchy of Normandy
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| 911–1204 | |||||||||||
 Heraldic flag of Normandy
.svg) Coat of arms
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Normandy's historical borders in the northwest of France and the Channel Islands
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| Status | Vassal state of West Francia (911–987) Vassal state of the Kingdom of France (987–1204) |
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| Capital | Rouen | ||||||||||
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| Religion |
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| Demonym(s) | Normans | ||||||||||
| Government | Feudal Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Duke of Normandy | |||||||||||
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• 911–927
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Rollo (first) | ||||||||||
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• 1035–1087
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William the Conqueror | ||||||||||
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• 1144–1150
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Geoffrey Plantagenet | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||
| 911 | |||||||||||
| 1066 | |||||||||||
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• Geoffrey Plantagenet conquers the Duchy of Normandy
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1144 | ||||||||||
| 1204 | |||||||||||
| Currency | Denier (Rouen penny) | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | France
British Islands |
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The Duchy of Normandy was a powerful region in France during the Middle Ages. It started in 911 with a deal between King Charles the Simple of West Francia and a Viking leader named Rollo. This agreement was called the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte. The area was named after its people, the Normans, who were descendants of Vikings.
From 1066 to 1204, the leaders of Normandy were often also the kings of England. This happened because of the Norman Conquest of England. The most famous example is William the Conqueror.
In 1204, Philip II of France took control of most of Normandy. However, the Channel Islands (like Guernsey and Jersey) stayed connected to the English crown. Even today, the British monarch is sometimes informally called the "Duke of Normandy" in these islands.
Contents
History of Normandy
How Normandy Began
The first Viking raids on the Seine river happened around 820. By 911, Vikings had attacked the area many times. They even had small settlements there. The exact details of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte are not fully known. We mostly know about it from a historian named Dudo of Saint-Quentin.
In this treaty, King Charles III of the West Franks gave land along the lower Seine to the Viking leader Rollo. This land was already partly controlled by Danes. We don't know if Rollo was from Denmark or Norway. Rollo agreed to protect the area from other Vikings. He also promised that he and his men would become Christian. Rollo made this deal after losing a battle at Chartres earlier in 911.
The land given to Rollo included areas like Caux and Roumois. This territory became known as Upper Normandy. A royal document from 918 confirmed this gift. Rollo didn't seem to owe the king any special service for the land. He was given it outright.
In 924, King Rudolph of France expanded Rollo's land to the west. This included areas where some Danes from England had settled. In 933, King Radulf gave more land, the Avranchin and Cotentin, to Rollo's son, William Longsword. These areas were once ruled by the Bretons. Norwegians from the Irish Sea region had settled in the northern Cotentin. At first, these Norwegian settlers and their new Danish rulers didn't get along well. These expansions made Normandy's borders similar to the church region of Rouen.
Early Normandy was not a single political or money system. It was a mix of Frankish and Breton ways of life. Many experts say that new noble families and church reforms were very important. These changes helped create the Norman state. The Normans also created a story about their origins, linking Rollo to a hero like Aeneas. This helped them fit in more with the Franks and move away from their Viking past.
Viking Settlements
There were two main ways Vikings settled in Normandy. In the Danish areas, like Roumois, settlers mixed with the local people who spoke a language similar to French. Rollo shared large estates with his friends. He also gave farmland to his other followers. Danish settlers cleared their own land for farming. There was no separation between the different groups of people.
However, in the northern Cotentin, the people were mostly Norwegian. Many coastal places had Norse names. The Norwegians might have even set up a þing, which was a meeting for all free men. The name of a place called Le Tingland might show where they met.
Within a few generations, the Viking settlers married locals. They also adopted much of the local culture. But in 911, Normandy was not a single political unit. French culture remained strong. In the 10th century, Normandy was a mix of different Viking groups and local Frankish people. In the end, the Normans focused on blending in with the local population. In the 11th century, a writer said that a Norman identity was formed by "shaping all races into one single people."
Some historians believe that the idea of "Norman" as a political identity was created on purpose. This happened in the 960s under Duke Richard I. It was a way to unite the different powerful families in the duchy around the duke.
Norman Rulers
Starting with Rollo, Normandy was ruled by a strong Viking family for a long time. Being born outside of marriage did not stop someone from becoming a ruler. Three of the first six rulers of Normandy were sons born to partners who were not wives. Rollo's son, William Longsword, expanded his lands. He was killed in 942 by Arnulf of Flanders. This caused problems in Normandy. Richard I became duke as a child. This also led to a short return of Viking paganism in Normandy. Richard I's son, Richard II, was the first to be called duke of Normandy. This title became common between 987 and 1006.
The Norman dukes created the most powerful duchy in Western Europe. This happened between 980 and 1050. During this time, the dukes helped put Hugh Capet on the French throne. They brought educated churchmen from Germany to Normandy. These churchmen built monasteries and supported schools. This helped bring distant areas into the duchy. The dukes also placed heavy taxes on church lands. These lands had to provide armed knights. This helped the dukes control the powerful noble families. By the mid-11th century, the Duke of Normandy could get more than 300 knights from church lands alone. By the 1020s, the dukes could also make other nobles promise loyalty to them.
Before Richard II, Norman rulers often hired Viking fighters. They used them to fight their enemies around Normandy, even the King of the Franks. For example, Olaf Haraldsson came to Normandy to help Richard II. He fought against the count of Chartres and was baptized in Rouen in 1014.
In 1066, Duke William defeated Harold II of England at the Battle of Hastings. He then became King of England. After this, the relationship between Normans and French became tricky. The Norman dukes still controlled their lands in Normandy. For these lands, they were vassals, meaning they owed loyalty to the King of France. But as kings of England, they were equal to the French king. Around 1100, serfdom (a type of forced labor) was made illegal.
From 1154 to 1214, the Angevin kings of England controlled a huge empire. This included half of France and all of England. This made them much more powerful than the French king. Yet, the Angevins were still officially vassals of France for their French lands.
The Duchy of Normandy stayed part of this Angevin Empire until 1204. That year, Philip II of France conquered the main part of the Duchy. It then became part of the French king's own lands. English kings still claimed Normandy until the Treaty of Paris (1259). But they only kept the Channel Islands. Philip didn't trust the Normans. So, he put French officials in charge. He also built a strong fortress, the Château de Rouen, to show his power.
Normandy as a French Region
Even though Normandy was now part of the French king's lands, it kept some special rules. Norman law was still used in courts. In 1315, the nobles and towns of Normandy pushed the king to sign the Norman Charter. This document did not make Normandy independent. But it protected it from unfair royal actions. For example, decisions made by the Exchequer of Normandy, Normandy's main court, were final. This meant Paris could not change a decision made in Rouen. Another important rule was that the King of France could not create new taxes without the Normans' agreement. However, kings often broke this charter when they became powerful again.
The Duchy of Normandy continued to exist mainly because a duke was sometimes put in charge. The King of France would sometimes give this part of his kingdom to a close family member. That person would then promise loyalty to the king. For example, Philippe VI made his eldest son, Jean, the Duke of Normandy. Jean II then made his own heir, Charles, the duke.
In 1465, Louis XI was forced to give the duchy to his 18-year-old brother, Charles de Valois. This was a problem for the king because Charles was controlled by the king's enemies. Normandy could become a base for rebellion against the king. So, in 1469, Louis XI convinced his brother to trade Normandy for another duchy. Finally, the ducal ring was smashed on an anvil. This showed that Normandy would not be given away again. A writer at the time said that Normans felt their great duchy should always have a duke.
Dauphin Louis Charles, the second son of Louis XVI, was given the title 'Duke of Normandy' again. This happened before his older brother died in 1789.
Modern Use of the Title
In the Channel Islands, the British monarch is informally known as the "Duke of Normandy." This title is used whether the ruler is male or female, like Queen Elizabeth II. The Channel Islands are the only part of the old Duchy of Normandy that still belongs to the British monarch. Even though England gave up its claims to mainland Normandy in 1259, the Channel Islands remain Crown dependencies. This means they are directly linked to the British Crown.
In the Channel Islands, people often say, "The Duke of Normandy, our King" or "The King, our Duke" when making a loyal toast. This is different from the United Kingdom, where they simply say "The King."
A British historian named Ben Pimlott wrote about Queen Elizabeth II visiting mainland Normandy in 1967. French locals reportedly shouted "Vive la Duchesse!" (Long live the Duchess!). The Queen supposedly replied, "Well, I am the Duke of Normandy!"
However, the title 'Duke of Normandy' is not used in official government papers in the Channel Islands. It does not officially exist in their law.
Dukes of Normandy
Norman Law
Some old Norman laws show signs of Viking influence. These laws were first written down in the 13th century. For example, a document from 1050 talks about banishment using the word ullac. This word comes from an Old Norse word for "outlaw."
Marriage more danico ("in the Danish manner") was also allowed. This meant marriage without a church ceremony, following old Norse customs. The first three dukes of Normandy all had such marriages.
Viking influence is also clear in laws about water. The duke had the droit de varech. This was the right to claim all shipwrecks. He also had a special right over whales and sturgeon. A similar right belonged to the Danish king in 1241. Interestingly, whales (including dolphins) and sturgeon are still considered "royal fish" belonging to the monarch in the United Kingdom today. The Norman Latin words for whalers (valmanni) and whaling stations (valseta) also come from Old Norse. Fishing in Normandy also seemed to follow Viking rules. A document from 1030 uses the term fisigardum for "fisheries," which also comes from Old Norse.
Images for kids
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Normandy's historical borders in the northwest of France and the Channel Islands
See also
- Norman architecture
- Integration of Normandy into the royal domain of the Kingdom of France
