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followers, and conquered this country in the battle of
Hafrsfjord, in the year 872.
If we dare to believe the sagas, some interesting
conclusions will follow. First, Rögnwald was either a
Danish or a Swedish nobleman in high favor with the
king. The former is perhaps the more likely.
Second, his son, Gauge Rolf, was horn either in
Denmark or Svithjod. It is to be remembered that
Halfdan had reigned in Upland during twenty-five years.
Duke Rolf died in 917. Between this year and 872
is a period of forty-five years, and twenty-five
subtracted from the forty-five leaves twenty years. Now
it may he that Rolf came to Svithjod at the age of
twenty, and thus originates from Denmark. Neither
the one nor the other theory will ever, perhaps, be
cleared. But one proof seems conclusive, namely,
that he was not born in Norway, At the conquest
of this country, referring not to the sagas, but to
actual historic dates, Rolf was forty years old. He
had previously, in a typical Swedish viking manner,
carried his expeditions eastward, as the Swedes then
were wont to do. "When his family migrated to
Norway he also sailed to that land, but was soon banished
by King Harald because of bis unruly and dangerous
character.
William Longsword, the second duke added
Brittany to his duchy. It is said that even in the
second generation the Norman language was almost
forgotten and the duke was condemned by the old
time Normans because of his French taste.
His son Richard had received most of his education
in the Colony of Bayeux, where old Norman customs
still prevailed. His reign was marked by constant
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