Before finding out which states in Europe were created by the Normans, it is necessary to find out what kind of people were hiding under this name. This word is synonymous with the more widespread concept of "Vikings." These were skillful sailors from Scandinavia, who, in search of a better share, left their harsh lands and went to rob developed medieval states.
The period of such invasions from the north is considered to be the VIII – XI centuries. The Vikings were pagans and worshiped the pantheon of the gods, which emerged in the pre-Christian era. A key place in the cult was occupied by Odin - the god of war. The belligerent lifestyle of the Norwegians, Danes and Swedes inspired terror in the hearts of the inhabitants of the Western European kingdoms, who had already managed to settle and became more civilized. They called the Vikings the Normans (can be translated as "northern people"). The history of these tribes will help to better understand which states in Europe were created by the Normans. History (Grade 6) especially studies this topic in detail in its program.
Until the end of the 9th century, expeditions and robberies were unsystematic. The leaders were only interested in the booty, upon receipt of which, they gave the order to return home. However, over time, everything has changed. Now, seafarers eager for adventure and glory, directly seized the lands and settled on them.
Duchy of Normandy
When answering the question which states in Europe were created by the Normans, the duchy of Normandy should be noted first. These lands in northern France at the mouth of the Seine were first occupied by invaders from the north. In 889, the Viking leader, known as Hrolf Pedestrian, settled here. From here with his troops he raided the French kingdom, even reaching the outskirts of Paris. There is still debate about its origin. According to one version, he is a Dane, according to another, he is a Norwegian.
The king of France couldn’t force the aliens out of his possessions on his own, therefore, in 911, Charles III the rustic offered Rollon (as Hrolf was called in the Christian chronicles) to perform the baptismal rite and become a vassal of the Carolingians. The leader of the Vikings took the name of Robert I and laid the foundation for the Norman dynasty. What states in Europe were created by the Normans? Brief answers include this duchy. Over time, the Scandinavians came to assimilate with the locals and adopted their language and customs. This also applies to the strict feudal hierarchy, which was the basis of the relations of the elite of that time.
The conquest of England by the Norman dynasty
The list specifying which states in Europe were created by the Normans continues with England. The dukes who ruled Normandy were formally vassals of the French crown, but de facto not only remained independent, but also had a great influence on the neighboring counts and other owners of the feuds. In the middle of the 11th century, Edward the Confessor, who belonged to the Anglo-Saxon Wessex dynasty, ruled in England. In Normandy, his contemporary was a descendant of Robert I Wilhelm. The king and the duke were distant relatives, which gave the latter a formal right to inherit the titles of the former.
When Edward passed away in 1066, William declared his rights to the English throne. Crossing the island, the Norman army defeated the Anglo-Saxons and their challenger Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Finally, the kingdom was subdued after 6 years. So which states in Europe were created by the Normans? The answer is England. These events have become key in the history of all of Europe.
Meaning Submission to England
Understanding which states in Europe were created by the Normans, one cannot but make out the points of importance of the capture of the British island.
Firstly, Misty Albion finally broke ties with Scandinavia. Prior to this, the Norwegian and Danish leaders tried to subjugate the island to their power. Some were successful (for example, Knud the Great), but the Vikings failed to gain a foothold in Britain. Pagan raids remained in the past not only for England, but for the whole of Europe as a whole. A new era has begun. The Scandinavian kingdoms gradually adopted Christianity and entered the common European orbit of development.
Secondly, England itself has changed. Here, the sole royal authority was finally approved, which over the years only intensified. The times when several Anglo-Saxon states coexisted on the island are in the past. Only during the reign of William a single army and navy was created, a general census was carried out, recorded in the famous "Domesday Book". The Norman nobility spoke French and brought him to the island.
English speech for several centuries has become a sign of common people. But, as in the case of the Hiking Wolfs, assimilation took place with the change of generations, thanks to which many French words penetrated the local language.
Anglo-Norman Monarchy
The Norman dynasty ruled until 1135. William and his sons laid the foundation of the modern English state, which became Britain. With the death of his father, the throne was succeeded by his namesake son William II the Red (Rufus) (1087 - 1100). His older brother Robert Kurtgez received Normandy. By the way, he became one of the organizers of the First Crusade to the Middle East.
Relations between relatives were marred by constant conflicts over titles. The dispute was never resolved when William died on the hunt. He was prickly in character and despised the local Anglo-Saxon aristocracy, which undermined the foundations of the state.
The throne of England was occupied by the youngest of the brothers - Henry I (1100 - 1135). Robert continued his attempts to obtain the English crown until he was captured at the Battle of Tanshbra in 1106. He spent 28 years in prison and died in prison. Henry received Normandy and united the inheritance of his father. During his expansion began in Wales. In addition, the French region of Brittany depended on him.
His son and heir Wilhelm died tragically in 1120 after a crash on the White Ship in the English Channel. This event exacerbated the dynastic problem. After the death of Henry, a civil war broke out between his nephew Stephen and daughter Matilda. Her son Henry II received the throne in 1167, after which the dynasty finally ceased, since the new king was paternal in the Plantagenet family.
It was during this dynasty that the fusion of the Norman elite and the Anglo-Saxon population began, which led to the birth of the English nation in the late Middle Ages.
County of obverse
The amazing story of the Scandinavian mercenaries who infiltrated Southern Italy and created their own kingdom there cannot be ignored when it comes to which states in Europe were created by the Normans.
Their first possession on the Apennine peninsula was the county of Avers in modern Campania. It was granted to Rainulf Drengo by the Duke of Naples Sergius IV in 1030. The future count, among many mercenaries from Northern France, fought against Byzantium, then against Italian feudal lords.
County of Puglia
The fate of William of the Gottwil family was similar (in some sources, Otwil). He was also a mercenary, and during numerous military clashes he became Count of Puglia, expelling the Byzantines from there in 1042. Over time, Gotvili increased their holdings, recognizing themselves as vassals of the Holy Roman Empire, then the Pope.
So, in 1071, Robert Guiscard expelled Muslims from the island of Sicily, after which he received the county of the same name from the Pope. All these states are created by the Normans.
Kingdom in Italy
After several marriages between the families of the former mercenaries and the corresponding inheritances, all the feuds of southern Italy fell into the hands of Roger II, who also belonged to the Gotwil dynasty. On Christmas Day 1130, Antipope Anaclet II recognized him as King of Sicily. Later this title will be recognized in Rome. The Sicilian kingdom inflicted several defeats on the Byzantine forces and for a century became the dominant force in the Mediterranean. For some time, even the lands in North Africa and Greece obeyed him.
However, a dynasty from Normandy did not last long on the throne. In 1194, it passed on to the Hohenstaufen dynasty, which belonged to the then German emperors. In general, the Sicilian kingdom lasted until 1816, when it was abolished following the results of the Vienna Congress after the Napoleonic Wars. This concludes the story of which states in Europe were created by the Normans. The answer is truly surprising, as few nations have managed to capture titles in a wide range of regions from Britain to the Mediterranean.
Consequences of the Norman Conquests
The descendants of the Vikings influenced the entire continent for several centuries. The states in Europe, created by the Normans, changed not only the political map, but also contributed to ethnic changes, for example, in England.
Wars with the East (including the Crusades) secured the Christians of the Old World. The story of which states in Europe were created by the Normans, a brief summary of which is described above, shows that even a small layer of passionate people can change the fate of an entire continent.