Danes, Saxons and Normans; or, Stories of our ancestors

Оглавление

Edgar John George. Danes, Saxons and Normans; or, Stories of our ancestors

PREFACE

I. ROLFGANGER AND HIS COMRADES

II. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

III. THE DANES IN ENGLAND

IV. EARL GODWIN

V. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR

VI. THE KING AND THE KING-MAKER

VII. MATILDA OF FLANDERS

VIII. SIWARD THE DANE

IX. HAROLD, THE SAXON KING

X. DUKE WILLIAM AND HIS DIFFICULTIES

XI. TOSTIG, SON OF GODWIN

XII. HAROLD HARDRADA

XIII. THE ALARM IN ENGLAND

XIV. THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE

XV. PHILIP OF FRANCE

XVI. THE NORMAN ARMAMENT

XVII. HAROLD'S HOST

XVIII. THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS

XIX. THE BODY OF HAROLD

XX. THE CONQUEROR AND THE KENTISHMEN

XXI. EDGAR ATHELING

XXII. CORONATION OF THE CONQUEROR

XXIII. THE SIEGE OF EXETER

XXIV. MATILDA AND BRIHTRIK

XXV. THE NORMANS IN NORTHUMBERLAND

XXVI. COSPATRICK AND THE CONQUEROR

XXVII. SAXON SAINTS AND NORMAN SOLDIERS

XXVIII. THE REDUCTION OF CHESTER

XXIX. LANFRANC OF PAVIA

XXX. EDWIN AND MORKAR

XXXI. IVO TAILLE-BOIS

XXXII. HEREWARD THE SAXON

XXXIII. BUILDING OF BATTLE ABBEY

XXXIV. MALCOLM CANMORE

XXXV. THE DEATH OF COSPATRICK

XXXVI. ATHELING AND HIS ALLIES

XXXVII. FITZOSBORNE AND DE GAEL

XXXVIII. WALTHEOF, SON OF SIWARD

XXXIX. WULSTAN, BISHOP OF WORCESTER

XL. ROBERT CURTHOSE

XLI. THE CONQUEROR AND HIS HEIR

XLII. ODO, BISHOP OF BAYEUX

XLIII. DOOMSDAY BOOK

XLIV. THE CONQUEROR'S DEATH

XLV. THE BURIAL AT CAEN

XLVI. THE RED KING

XLVII. RUFUS AND THE JEWS

XLVIII. RUFUS AND THE SCOTS

XLIX. ROBERT DE MOUBRAY

L. HENRY BEAUCLERC

LI. THE DEATH OF RUFUS

LII. A CHANGE OF FORTUNE

LIII. CURTHOSE AT THE CRUSADE

LIV. BEAUCLERC AND CURTHOSE

LV. AFTER TINCHEBRAY

Отрывок из книги

One day towards the close of the ninth century, Harold, King of Norway, exasperated at the insubordination and contumacy of the chiefs among whom that land of mountain, and forest, and fiord was divided, vowed not to cut his fair hair till he had reduced the whole country to his sovereign authority. The process proved, as he doubtless foresaw, somewhat difficult and slow. Indeed, the chiefs of Norway, who were, in fact, petty kings, disputed the ground inch by inch, and Harold was occupied for so many years ere consummating his victories, that his hair, growing ridiculously long and thick, led to his receiving the surname of "Hirsute."

Even after having sustained numerous defeats on the land, the fierce chiefs – all Vikings, and, like their adversaries, worshippers of Odin – taking to the sea, ravaged the coasts and islands, and excited the Norwegians to rebellion. Harold, however, resolved to do his work thoroughly, went on board his war-fleet, sailed in pursuit of his foes, and, having sunk several of their vessels, forced the others to seek refuge in the Hebrides, where the exiled war-chiefs – many of them ancestors of the Anglo-Norman nobles – consoled themselves with horns of potent drink, with schemes for conquering kingdoms, and with the hope of better fortune and brighter days.

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At this ludicrous incident the Normans raised shouts of derisive laughter, and the French held up their hands in horror. For a few moments all was confusion, but fortunately no serious quarrel resulted; and soon after, Rolfganger was received into the Christian Church, and married to Gisla, the King's daughter, at Rouen.

Rolfganger, having begun life anew as a Christian and a Count, divided the territory of Neustria among his comrades, and changed its name to Normandy. Maintaining internal order by severe laws, and administering affairs with vigour, he soon became famous as the most successful justiciary of the age. Such was the security felt under his government, that mechanics and labourers flocked to establish themselves in the newly-founded state, and the Normans applied themselves to the arts of peace with as much ardour as they had previously exhibited in their predatory enterprises.

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