The Ancestry of Queen Victoria, and of Prince Albert

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1841 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. "Whiche Rollo then landed in Normandye, Of whome all dukes of that provyiice discern, And wan that lande with swerde full manfully, And duke there was made of hole entent, By processe after and by the kynges assent Of France, whose doughter he wed to his wyfe, And Christen man became so alle his lyfe." Hardvnc, p. 205. "Seignors, par la resplendor De, La terre ai as dous mainz seizie; Tote est nostre quant qu'il i a."1 Rom. De Rou. The Pedigree of the Dukes of Normandy, from Rollo to William the Conqueror. FOR five or six centuries before Rollo made his successful attempt, Gaul had been subject to the inroads of the Northmen, more or less encouraged by the character of the kings who ruled that country; which was free from their attacks during the vigorous reign of Charlemagne, whose degenerate descendants had recourse to the expedient adopted by Ethelred to rid England of the Danish invaders, namely, by purchasing the retreat of the enemies they could not resist by arms. In the year 856, the Northmen under Hastings ravaged the country for two years, and their leader received the province of Chartres from Charles the Bald. Another leader, Regnier, agreed with the same king that the Northmen should evacuate France upon payment of seven thousand pounds weight of silver. The same monarch had also to purchase the retreat of other leaders at an equally costly price. Speed says that Charles le Gros gave his daughter to Godfrey, a leader of the Normans. 1 Such was the ready repartee and prediction of William the Conqueror to his soldiers, when they were alarmed at the ill omen of his falling on his face, as he came ashore at Pevensey. In Rollo, however, the Franks found an invader who was not disposed to forego, for a sum of money, ...