Rollo (c. 846 – c. 932), known as
Ganger-Hrólf (or as
Göngu Hrólfr in the
Old Norse language), and baptised
Robert, was a
Viking who became the first ruler of
Normandy, a region of
France. Rollo came from a
noble warrior family of
Scandinavian origin. After making himself independent of the
Norwegian king
Harald Fairhair, he sailed off to
Scotland,
Ireland,
England and
Flanders on pirating expeditions, and took part in raids along France's
Seine river. Rollo won a reputation as a great leader of Viking rovers in Ireland and Scotland, and emerged as the outstanding personality among the
Norsemen who had secured a permanent foothold on
Frankish soil in the valley of the lower Seine.
Charles the Simple, the king of
West Francia, ceded them lands between the mouth of the Seine and what is now the
city of Rouen in exchange for Rollo agreeing to end his brigandage, and provide the Franks with his protection against further incursion by Norse war bands.
