The Normans--Their Settlement in France--Their gradual Civilization--Richard the Good--Robert the Devil--William's earlier years--His Consolidation of Power--Harold's Adventures in Normandy and the Story of his Oath to William--Death and Character of Edward--Election of Harold--William's Claims--He obtains the Sanction of the Church--His Preparations--Proceedings of Tostig--Harold's Forces dwindle--Invasion of Tostig and Harold Hardrada--Battle of Stamford Bridge--Landing of William--Harold in London--Desertion of Edwin and Morcar--Negotiations--Harold at Senlac--Account of the Battle--Death of Harold and Discomfiture of the English--His Burial--Legend of his Escape.
Before narrating Harold's adventures in Normandy, and the oath which he is said to have sworn to William there, it may be well to give an account of the rise of the formidable power of which William was now the ruler. The Normans, or Northmen, were, when they first come within the ken of history, bands of piratical adventurers, and were practically identical with the Danes, the term being loosely used for the inhabitants of what we now call the Scandinavian kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. In the previous chapters, a description has been given of the invasions and settlements of these barbarians in England; but England was by no means the only country which they vexed by their depredations, and the northern coast of France afforded an equally suitable place of debarkation for their hordes.
Upon the French, as upon the English, the enemy at first contented themselves with inflicting yearly raids, without any intention of occupying the land; but in 912, Rollo the Ganger, or Walker, so called because he was too tall to ride, a leader after the stamp of Guthrum, seized from Charles the Simple, king of the West Franks--for France was not as yet a united kingdom--land on both sides of the Seine, with Rouen for its capital, and an arrangement was made between the two at Clair-sur-Epte, which has been compared to the treaty of Wedmore. By it Rollo promised to embrace Christianity, and to do homage to Charles. The well-known story has it that he was too proud to go through the ceremony, which consisted in kissing the king's feet, but deputed it to one of his soldiers, who, by raising the royal foot to his mouth, instead of stooping towards it, well-nigh upset his Frankish majesty. Despite his promise, Rollo speedily relapsed into heathendom, and, together with his son, William Longsword, proceeded to add to his territories. A large district passed into the hands of the Normans by conquest, including Avranches, Lisieux, and Caen.