Which states in Europe were created by the Normans. Normans in Europe

Before finding out which states in Europe were created by the Normans, it is necessary to find out what kind of people they were hiding under this name. This word is synonymous with the more widespread concept of "Vikings". They were skilful navigators from Scandinavia who, in search of a better life, left their harsh lands and went to plunder developed medieval states.

The period of such invasions from the north is considered to be the 8th-11th centuries. The Vikings were pagans and worshiped the pantheon of gods, which arose in the pre-Christian era. The key place in the cult was occupied by Odin, the god of war. The militant way of life of Norwegians, Danes and Swedes terrified the hearts of the inhabitants of the West European kingdoms, which had already settled down and became more civilized. They called the Vikings Normans (you can translate as "northern people"). The history of these tribes will help to better understand which states in Europe were created by the Normans. History (Grade 6) particularly studies this topic in its program.

Until the end of the IX century, expeditions and looting were of an unsystematic nature. The leaders were interested only in the prey, after which they received the order to return home. However, over time, everything changed. Now thirsty adventurers and glory seafarers directly seized the land and settled on them.

The Duchy of Normandy

Answering the question, which states in Europe were created by the Normans, the duchy of Normandy should first of all be noted. These lands in the north of France at the mouth of the River Seine were first occupied by invaders from the north. In 889, the Viking leader, known as the Khrolf Pedestrian, settled here. From here, with his detachments, he raided the French kingdom, reaching even the environs of Paris. His origin is still disputed. According to one of the versions he is a Dane, the other is a Norwegian.

The King of France could not, on his own, expel the strangers from his possessions, so in 911 Charles III of Rustic offered to Rollon (as the Christian chronicles called Khrolf) to perform a baptism and become a vassal of the Carolingians. The Viking leader took the name of Robert I and laid the foundation of the Norman dynasty. Which states in Europe were created by the Normans? Brief answers include this duchy. Over time, the alien Scandinavians assimilated with the locals and adopted their language, as well as customs. This also applies to a strict feudal hierarchy, the former basis of the relationship of the elite of that time.

The Conquest of England by the Norman Dynasty

The list, specifying which states in Europe were created by the Normans, continues with England. The dukes who ruled Normandy were formally vassals of the French crown, but de facto not only remained independent, but also had a great influence on neighboring counts and other feudal owners. In the middle of the 11th century, Edward the Confessor, who belonged to the Anglo-Saxon Wessex dynasty, ruled in England. In Normandy, his contemporary was a descendant of Robert I Wilhelm. The king and duke were distant relatives, which gave the latter a formal right to inherit the titles of the first.

When Edward died in 1066, Wilhelm announced his rights to the English throne. Having crossed the island, the Norman army defeated the Anglo-Saxons and their pretender Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Finally, the kingdom was subordinated after 6 years. So, which states in Europe were created by the Normans? The answer is England. These events have become key in the history of the whole of Europe.

The Importance of England Subordination

Understanding what states in Europe were created by the Normans, we can not disassemble the points of the importance of seizing the British island.

First, Foggy Albion finally broke ties with Scandinavia. Before that, the Norwegian and Danish leaders tried to subjugate the island to their power. Some achieved success (for example, Knud the Great), but finally to gain a foothold in Britain the Vikings did not succeed. Pagan forays were in the past not only for England, but for the whole of Europe as a whole. A new era has begun. Scandinavian kingdoms gradually adopted Christianity and entered the common European development orbit.

Secondly, England itself has changed. Here, the sole authority of the royal power was finally approved, which only grew stronger over the years. The times when several Anglo-Saxon countries coexisted on the island were left in the past. Only during the reign of Wilhelm was created a unified army and navy, conducted a general census of the population, recorded in the famous "Book of the Last Judgment." The Norman nobility spoke French and transferred him to the island. English speech for several centuries became a sign of common people. But, as in the case of the Khrolf Vikings, with the change of generations assimilation took place, thanks to which many French words penetrated into the local language.

Anglo-Norman monarchy

The Norman dynasty ruled until 1135. Wilhelm and his sons laid the foundation of the modern British state, which became Britain. With the death of his father, the throne was succeeded by his son-namesake William II Red (Rufus) (1087 - 1100). His older brother Robert Kurtgeoz received Normandy. By the way, he became one of the organizers of the First Crusade to the Middle East.

Relations between relatives were marred by constant conflicts over titles. The dispute was never resolved when Wilhelm died on the hunt. He was prickly in character and despised the local Anglo-Saxon aristocracy, which undermined the foundations of the state.

The English throne was taken by the youngest of the brothers - Henry I (1100 - 1135). Robert continued his attempts to obtain the English crown, until he was captured in the battle of Tanshbre in 1106. He spent 28 years in prison and died behind bars. Henry also received Normandy and united his father's inheritance. With him, expansion began in Wales. In addition, the French region of Brittany depended on it.

His son and heir, Wilhelm, died tragically in 1120 after the crash on the White Ship in the English Channel. This event exacerbated the dynastic problem. After Heinrich's death, a civil war broke out between his nephew Stefan and daughter Matilda. Her son Henry II received the throne in 1167, after which the dynasty finally stopped, as the new king by his father belonged to the family of Plantagenets.

It was during this dynasty that the fusion of the Norman elite and the Anglo-Saxon population began, leading to the birth of the English nation in the late Middle Ages.

Obers county

The amazing story of the Scandinavian mercenaries who infiltrated southern Italy and created their own kingdom there can not be ignored, if it is a question of which states in Europe were created by the Normans.

Their first possession on the Apennine peninsula was the county of Aversa in modern Campania. It was granted to Rainulf Drengo by Duke of Naples Sergius IV in 1030. The future Count among the many mercenaries from Northern France fought then against Byzantium, then against the Italian feudal lords.

The county of Puglia

The fate of Wilhelm of the Gottwil family was similar (in some sources - Overtile). He was also a mercenary, and in the course of numerous military clashes he became the count of Apulia, expelling the Byzantines from there in 1042. Over time, Gottwili increased their possessions, recognizing themselves as vassals of the Holy Roman Empire, then the Pope.

Thus, in 1071 Robert Guiscard expelled the Muslims from the island of Sicily, after which he received from the Pope the same county. All these states are created by the Normans.

Kingdom in Italy

After several marriages between the families of former mercenaries and the corresponding inheritance, all feuds of Southern Italy were in the hands of Roger II, who also belonged to the Gottwil dynasty. On Christmas Day 1130, the antipope Anaklet II recognized him as king of Sicily. Later this title will be recognized in Rome. The Sicilian kingdom inflicted several defeats on Byzantine forces and for a century became the dominant force in the Mediterranean. For a while, even the lands in North Africa and Greece were subordinate to him.

However, a dynasty originally from Normandy lasted for a relatively short time on the throne. In 1194 it passed to the Hohenstaufen dynasty, to which the then German emperors belonged. In general, the Sicilian Kingdom existed until 1816, when it was abolished following the results of the Congress of Vienna after the Napoleonic wars. This ends the story of which states in Europe were created by the Normans. The answer is truly surprising, as few people managed to seize the titles in the most diverse regions from Britain to the Mediterranean.

Consequences of the Norman conquests

The descendants of the Vikings influenced the whole continent for several centuries. States in Europe, created by the Normans, changed not only the political map, but also contributed to ethnic changes, for example, in England.

Wars with the East (including the Crusades) have protected the Christians of the Old World. The story of which states in Europe were created by the Normans, the summary of which is described above, shows that even a small stratum of passionate people can change the destiny of the whole continent.