Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte
After his defeat at Chartres, the Viking leader Rollo received from Charles the Simple the land around Rouen in return for baptism and the defence of the Seine against other Vikings — the beginning of Normandy.
- Date
- 911year known
- Place
- Saint-Clair-sur-Eptetoday: Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, Val-d’Oise, France · Western and Central Europe
- Participants
- Charles the Simple, Rollo, West Francia, Vikings
- Threads
- Early medieval Europe (500–1000)
- Also known as
- Founding of Normandy; Основание Нормандии; Duchy of Normandy; Герцогство Нормандия
Scandinavians had been settling on the lower Seine since about 900. In the summer of 911 Rollo besieged Chartres, but on 20 July the Franks under Robert, Count of Paris, relieved the city. King Charles the Simple then chose to negotiate and, probably in the autumn of 911, granted Rollo the lands between the Epte and the sea around Rouen; Rollo swore fealty, promised to defend the estuary and was baptized, taking the name Robert after his godfather, Count Robert.
No text of the treaty survives: the story, including the famous scene of the Viking who refused to kiss the king’s foot, comes from Dudo of Saint-Quentin a century later, and a royal charter of 918 confirms the grant. Rollo’s descendants extended the territory westwards; the Duchy of Normandy became one of the strongest principalities of France and in 1066 conquered England.
Connections
Related events
- Viking siege of Parisbetween 24 November and 25 November 885 – October 886 · Western and Central EuropeRollo is said to have been among the Vikings who besieged Paris in 885–886
Same participants
- Hugh Capet becomes King of the FranksMay 987 – 3 July 987 · Western and Central Europevia West Francia
- Leif Erikson reaches Vinlandc. 1000 · North Americavia Vikings
Adjacent events in the thread
- Golden Age of Bulgaria under Simeon I893 – 27 May 927 · Balkans and Anatolia
- Battle of Achelous20 August 917 · Balkans and Anatolia
Meanwhile in the world
Other regions, within 25 years of this event
Eastern Europe
- The Pechenegs first come to the Rus’ land915
- Ibn Fadlan’s embassy to the Volga Bulgars21 June 921 – 12 May 922
- Gnezdovo inscriptionbetween 925 and 960
Balkans and Anatolia
- Rus’–Byzantine Treaty of 9112 September 911
- Golden Age of Bulgaria under Simeon I893 – 27 May 927
- Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople907
- Battle of Achelous20 August 917
Middle East and Egypt
- Great Rus’ raid on the Caspianbetween 913 and 914
The same period
Sources
- Wikipedia (English): Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte
- Wikipedia (Russian): Сен-Клер-сюр-Эптский договор
- Bates D. Normandy before 1066. — London: Longman, 1982.
- Wikidata: Q1072330