Normans: Difference between revisions

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The '''Normans''' (adapted from the name "Northmen" or "[[Norsemen]]") were a people who colonized [[Normandy]], conquered England, and played a major political, military and cultural role in the northern and Mediterranean parts of medieval Europe for centuries. Their most famous achievement was the [[Norman Conquest]] of England in 1066.

Originally they derived from the indigenous population of [[Neustria]], Northern France, and a small minority of [[Vikings]] originating in [[Scandinavia]]. They began to occupy the northern area of France now known as [[Normandy]] in the latter half of the [[9th century]]. In [[911]], [[Charles the Simple]], king of France, granted the invaders the small lower [[Seine]] area, which expanded over time to become the [[Duchy of Normandy]]. The invaders were under the leadership of [[Rollo of Normandy|Hrolf]], who later became known under his latinized name Rollo who swore allegiance to Charles the Simple.

The Norman people adopted [[Christianity]] and the [[Gallo-Romance languages|Gallo-Romance language]] and created a new cultural identity separate from that of their Scandinavian forebears, andbut indistinguishable from French neighbours with whom they interacted. Norman culture, like that of many other migrant communities, was particularly enterprising and adaptable. For a time, it led them to occupy widely dispersed territories throughout Europe.

==Norman characteristics==