The Viking Connection

"The ancestors of the family name Menham are believed to be descended originally from the Norman race, frequently but mistakenly assumed to be of French origin. They were more accurately of Viking origin."

The Normandy coast was repeatedly devastated by raids of the Vikings, or Northmen, from the 8th century on, and as its Carolingian rulers became weaker, the Vikings penetrated farther inland in the course of their depredations. Finally the French king Charles III the Simple ceded the territory around Rouen and the mouth of the Seine River to Rollo, the chief of the largest band of Vikings, in the Treaty of St. Clair-sur-Epte (911)."

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"The Vikings landed in the Orkneys and Northern Scotland about the year 870 A.D., under their King, Stirgud the Stout. Thorfmn Rollo, his descendant, led his people into northern France early in the lOth century. In 911, King Charles III was forced to cede territory to Rollo, who became the fIrst Duke of Normandy, the territory of the north men. Rollo married Charles' daughter and became a convert to Christianity."

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"Rollo's Scandinavian countrymen immigrated in large numbers to settle the country, and they adopted the French language, customs, and religion. These Vikings became known as Normans, and the region they settled became known as Normandy.

Duke William(King WilliamI)who invaded and defeated England in 1066, was descended from the fIrst Duke Rollo of Normandy."

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