Lesson Plan: Rise of the Normans Date: 07.11.

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Length of Session: 50 minutes
Seminar Aims What is the purpose of Dudo’s text and why does it matter to the Norman
dukes?

What is the ‘Norman identity’? How are they presented in Dudo?

How ‘viking’ is early Normandy?

Supporting Power-point.
Materials /
Handouts
Room Equipment / Projector.
Arrangement

Timing Subject/Headin Activity/Notes PP slides

g
0-3 Introduction & - Ask for any questions on the lecture 1-3
minutes housekeeping - Remind them of assessment deadlines.
- Explain seminar aims
3-15 Purpose of Dudo - 15 minute class discussion: 4
minutes - What is Dudo’s purpose? Why was the history written?
- Why does historical writing matter to the Dukes? How
does Dudo present them?
- Who is Dudo’s audience?
15-40 The Norman - 25 minute class discussion (provide passages for use) 5
minutes ‘identity’ - How does Dudo present the Normans?
- Assimilated, or different? And in what areas?
- A sense of ‘Norman’ identity?
40-50 How ‘viking’ is - How ‘Viking’ is early Normandy? 6
minutes Normandy? - What evidence do we have of assimilation? (and in
what areas?)
- What evidence do we have of continuing difference?
(and are there any problems with the evidence for
that?)
- Is Normandy a ‘viking’ polity, or a Frankish one?

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Issues to cover
Slide 4: What is Dudo’s purpose? Why was the history written? What purpose does the text
serve for the Norman dukes? Who is Dudo’s audience?
- Dudo’s purpose is essentially to provide the Norman dukes with a history of their
own to give their polity (and therefore their own authority) a degree of legitimacy
– presumably both within and without Normandy, since this is largely their story
being told, not that of anyone else. It seeks to emphasise how the ancestors of the
Norman dukes had a legitimate (if unconventional) background, and how far they
had changed to become legitimate rulers in their own right.
- The narrative sources of Dudo & others therefore do serve a purpose for the
dukes, largely of providing them and their polity with legitimacy. Legitimacy of
their position, both at home and in France, and even in the eyes of God (again,
notions of Christian leadership there). Legitimacy of their territory and later
territorial ambitions too, for e.g. in Brittany. And finally of aggrandisement and
assimilation too (which brings with it legitimacy): for e.g. in calling them dukes.
- In terms of Dudo’s audience however, although the duke is the patron it is notable
how he addresses his work to Bishop Adalbero, and throws in a bunch of
references to the classical past. It shows his own education in classical scholarship,
and provides him with lots of material to make in jokes and references which his
more educated audience would’ve been familiar with.
Slide 5: The ‘Norman’ identity: How does Dudo present the Normans – Assimilated or
different? And in what areas? Is there a sense of the Normans as distinct in this source?
- Strong emphasis on the divine providence aspect of their emergence in the
prophecy sequence which is mentioned repeatedly.
- Besides that they’re presented as war-like and good soldiers, brutal even, but not
in quite the same way as the despoilers of Christianity we see in our other sources,
and, importantly, it’s not their fault when they cause destruction. It’s loyalty to the
English King which makes them attack the English rebels, and its French duplicity
which makes them ravage the French (for e.g. after the 3 month truce).
- On that point, note the contrast with the French, who are not presented as
valorous fighters at all. They’re presented as quite weak fighters, and the threat of
Rollo’s Vikings played up (the attacker of all francia for e.g.). Interestingly too the
Vikings are said to have an element of cunning which outwits the French and their
duplicity, for e.g. the hill scene where they sneak through the French camp and
steal their animals (which could also be a subtle way of saying they had God on
their side again). And ultimately the decision to bring Rollo in by the French is
presented as one they unanimously make out of fear.
- That said, also note how Dudo makes great strides to assimilate Rollo into the
French hierarchical system: refers to him as a Duke of the Dacians even before he
shows up in Francia – Duke comes from Dux, a Carolingian rank, and moreover a

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 higher one than Rollo was actually granted by Charles. Combined with the above it
shows how Dudo is trying to show Rollo to be a part of the French system, even
though he wasn’t as such to start with.
- Finally, note too the repeated references to the land of Normandy, described on
several occasions either as a desert or (earlier on) as a land rich in game and
whatnot. Possible biblical allusions here again, but perhaps shows a sense of
identification with their territory.
- A sense of Norman identity again an open question: no wrong answers.

Slide 6: How ‘Viking’ is early Normandy? What evidence do we have for assimilation (and in
what areas)? What evidence do we have for continuing difference (and what are the
problems with it?) Matter of opinion: is Normandy a ‘Viking’ polity, or a Frankish one?
- Evidence for assimilation is somewhat mixed, and changes over time. In some
areas we see evidence for strong assimilation: administratively the Normans use
the Carolingian system, and the Scandinavian tradition of the Þing dies away.
Coinage we see issued in Carolingian style, Christian patronage in some areas too,
for e.g. at Mont St Michel, Rouen, Jumieges etc. Language also seems to shift quite
quickly from Old Norse to French, and before long we see the Norman leaders
become embroiled in French political life through their making alliances and links
to other French magnates, helped along by the vacuum of power in France at this
time and the lack of central authority.
- On the other hand, there are some things that point to continued differences:
place name evidence for e.g. suggests areas of Scandinavian settlement – example
Tocqueville, Toki’s Ville, trade links with other norse settlements in England and
Ireland too. Similarly, although Christianity is adopted and to some degree revived,
it’s concentrated in a few small areas in the early stages around Rouen, Mont St
Michel and Jumieges, leading one to wonder how quickly conversion occurred
among the rank and file settlers.
- No right and wrong for the last question: get their opinions.

Reflections: