Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How was William the Conqueror connected to the Viking leader Rollo?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Viking
Exhumed Viking ship; in the Viking Ship Museum, Oslo, Norway.
William the Conqueror was the direct descendant of the Viking leader Rollo, who founded the duchy of Normandy in the early 10th century.12
The genealogical connection is as follows:
* Rollo: A Scandinavian Viking leader who settled in France and became the first duke of Normandy.12
* William I (Longsword): Rollo’s son, who succeeded him as the second duke of Normandy.13
* William the Conqueror: As a later duke of the same house, he was a direct descendant of this line.2
By the time William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, his ancestors had transitioned from their origins as pagan Viking raiders to become the rulers of a highly feudalized Norman state, having adopted the French language and Christianity.24