Search Results - Normans
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The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were the descendants of the original Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock. Their identity first emerged in the first half of the tenth century and gradually evolved over the succeeding centuries until they disappeared as an ethnic group in the early thirteenth century. The name "Normans" is derived from " Northmen" or " Norsemen", after the Vikings from Scandinavia who founded Normandy ( Northmannia in its original Latin). They played a major political, military, and cultural role in medieval Europe and even the Near East. They were famed for the martial spirit and for their Christian piety. They quickly adopted the Romance language of the land they settled in, their dialect becoming known as Norman, an important literary language. The Duchy of Normandy which they formed by treaty with the French crown was one of the great large fiefs of medieval France. The Normans are famed both for their culture, such as their unique Romanesque architecture and their musical traditions, as well as for the military accomplishments and innovations. Norman adventurers established a kingdom in Sicily and southern Italy by conquest and a Norman expedition on behalf of their duke led to the Norman Conquest of England. Norman influence spread from these new centres to the Crusader States in the Near East and to Scotland and Wales in Great Britain, and to Ireland. In Russian historiography, the term "Norman" is often used for the Varangians, as for example in the term "Normanist theory". In French historiography, too, the term is often applied to the various Viking groups which raided France in the ninth century before settling down to found Normandy. In a famous passage, Geoffrey Malaterra characterised the Normans thus
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Showing 1 to 9 of 9 Articles matching 'Normans' in related articles. |
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1. TOUR OF ITALY : EASTERN APULIA !
July 28, 2008
Apulia makes up the heel of the Italian boot. It is located in the southeast corner of Italy and borders the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Apulia was often invaded by both the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was ruled by many foreigners including the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards, Normans, Spaniards, and Turks. Apulia's moment of greatest glory was in the Holy Roman Empire during the 13th Century, when majestic Romanesque cathedrals and palaces were built. This article presents the eastern and usually southern part of Apulia. A companion article presents the rest of the region including the administra... (read more)
Author: Ben Rob
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2. TOUR OF ITALY ! EASTERN APULIA ( travel )
July 28, 2008
Apulia makes up the heel of the Italian boot. It is located in the southeast corner of Italy and borders the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Apulia was often invaded by both the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was ruled by many foreigners including the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards, Normans, Spaniards, and Turks. Apulia's moment of greatest glory was in the Holy Roman Empire during the 13th Century, when majestic Romanesque cathedrals and palaces were built. This article presents the eastern and usually southern part of Apulia. A companion article presents the rest of the region including the administra... (read more)
Author: Ben Rob
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3. The Tower of London: A Glance into History
March 31, 2008
The Tower of London was founded in 1078 when the Norman king William the Conqueror ordered the White Tower - a stark, square fortress - to be built. This was as much to protect the Normans from the people of the City of London as it was to protect London from outside invaders. The Tower was built using Caen stone, imported from France. In the 12th century, King Richard the Lionheart enclosed the Tower with a curtain wall and had a moat dug around it and filled with water from the Thames. The moat was not successful, however, until Henry III strengthened the curtain wall and, later, Edward... (read more)
Author: Adam Singleton
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4. A review of The Possession Legacy by Trevor Dalton
November 24, 2007
The Possession Legacy, a horror fantasy by Trevor Dalton, published by Libros International, is a tale of modern day vampires, set in Wales and the West Midlands. The book’s monsters walk the streets of Bromsgrove, but their power came not from Transylvania, but from the mythical invincibility of Llewellyn, first prince of Wales.
Llewellyn is a legendary warrior who struggles with the Normans. His prowess on the field of combat seems almost superhuman. There are many rumours. Llewellyn travels to Carmarthen where he learns of a prophecy by the wizard Merlin that predicts his ultimate her... (read more)
Author: Philip Spires
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5. The power of kilts
April 12, 2007
"A man in a kilt is a man and a half." ~ Sir Colin Campbell
Kilts, as we know them, were adapted from 16th century Highland garments that are believed to have been heavily influenced by the clothing worn by the Vikings and Normans that conquered the British Isles in the 8th Century. The word kilt is thought to come from the Danish word "kilte," meaning "to tuck up" which is believed to have been derived from "kjalta," meaning "to tuck up a garment or to secure hanging fabric with a belt" in Old Scandinavian and/or the Old Norse word "kjilt," meaning "pleated or folded fabric lay... (read more)
Author: Caroline Anderson
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6. Discover Sicily - a Roman treasure trove
March 29, 2007
Sicily’s prime geographic location in the centre of the Mediterranean Basin has meant that, over time, settlers and conquerors from the medieval Normans, Aragonese Spanish, Moorish North Africans, ancient Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans have come and, except for the latter, mostly, gone. Today, Sicily's Roman ruins are rivaled only by those in Rome, and lovers of Roman archaeology will find a treasure trove of sites to explore. To get an idea of the diversity of Sicily in ancient times and particularly the range of artifacts from the Greek and Roman colonizations of the island, visit the ... (read more)
Author: Rod Ritchie
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7. A View of Huddersfield History
March 04, 2007
Huddersfield sits at the confluence of the rivers Colne and Holme, whose waters and valleys have drawn people to the area for thousands of years. In common with much of Northern England it has been inhabited or settled at one time or another by Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age man, Ancient Britons, Romans, Angles, Jutes and Saxons as well as by conquering Norsemen and Normans.
Set out in any direction from the town centre and you can be sure that you will be treading on ground traversed by our earliest forbears, Roman Legions, Pictish raiders, Viking invaders, and Saxon kings – there ... (read more)
Author: Naz Daud
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8. Galicia Holidays - Santiago De Compostela, Lugo, Ourense & Pontevedra
January 25, 2007
The region of Galicia can be found in northwest Spain bordering Asturias, Castilla & Leon and Portugal. Through the centuries, Galicia has experienced a varied and sometimes violent history having been invaded by the Romans, the Visigoths in the 6th century, the Moors in the 8th century and occasional visits from the Normans and Vikings. King Ferdinand I of Castilla and Leon finally brought Galicia under control in 1063.
The Galicia Coastline Galicia is a mountainous, wet region noted for its jagged coastline and many fjord-like indentations on the coast, estuaries that were flooded with... (read more)
Author: Steve Greenwood
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9. It is a long way to... Hastings 1066!
October 05, 2006
When charity meets historical reenactment... A charity walk is to gather money for the British Heart Foundation and to promote the upcoming Battle of Hastings which will be reenacted on 14th - 15th October 2006 on the very battlefield.
After the defeat of Harald Hardrada at the battle of Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire, in September 1066, whilst resting in York, King Harold Godwinson of England received word that the Normans under William of Normandy had landed on the south coast of England near Hastings. Godwinson mustered his troops and marched them down the length of England and did battle ... (read more)
Author: Sandra Orchard
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