the conqueror of Normandy, was a Norwegian duke, banished from his country by Harold Harfager, who conquered Norway in 870, on account of the piracies he exercised. He first retired with his fleet among the islands of the Hebrides to the north-west of Scotland, whither the flower of the Norwegian nobility had fled for refuge ever since Harold had become master of the whole kingdom. He was there received with open arms by those warriors, who, eager for conquest and revenge, waited only for a chief to undertake some glorious enterprise. Rollo setting himself at their head, and, seeing his power formidable, sailed towards England, which had been long as it were a field open on all sides to the violence of the northern nations. But the great Alfred had some years before established such order in his part of the island, that Rollo, after several fruitless attempts, despaired of forming there such a settlement as should make him amends for the loss of his own country. He pretended, therefore, to have had a supernatural dream, which promised him a glorious fortune in France, and which served at least to support the ardour of his followers. The weakness of the government in that kingdom, and the confusion in which it was involved, were still more persuasive reasons to infuse them of success. Having therefore sailed up the Seine to Rouen, he immediately took that capital of the province, then called Neuftria, and making it his magazine of arms, he advanced up to Paris, to which he laid siege in form. This war at length ended in the entire cession of Neuftria, which Charles the Simple was obliged to give up to Rollo and his Normans in order to purchase a peace. Rollo received it in perpetuity to himself and his posterity, as a feudal duchy dependent on the crown of France. A description of the interview between Charles and this new duke gives us a curious picture of the manners of these Normans (as they were called by foreigners); for the latter would not take the oath of fealty to his sovereign lord any other way than by placing his hands within those of the king; and absolutely refused to kiss his feet, as custom then required. It was with great difficulty he was prevailed on to let one of his warriors perform this ceremony in his stead; but the officer to whom Rollo deputed this service, suddenly raised the king's foot so high, that he overturned him on his back; a piece of rudeness which was only laughed at; to such a degree were the Normans feared, and Charles despised.

Soon after, Rollo was persuaded to embrace Christianity, and he was baptized with much ceremony by the archbishop of Rouen in the cathedral of that city. As soon as he saw himself in full possession of Normandy, he exhibited such virtues as rendered the province happy, and deserved to make his former outrages forgotten. Religious, wise, and liberal, this captain of pirates became, after Alfred, the greatest and most humane prince of his time.