William the Conqueror, the Normans, and the Norman Conquest

Haven’t started the book, it’s on deck for me, but I’m starting the Norman conquest by Marc Morris soon

quote:

---

Haven’t started the book, it’s on deck for me, but I’m starting the Norman conquest by Marc Morris soon

---

I’ve read this one and it’s good op

I remember reading that my Freshman year at LSU. I recall a Saxon bias to the book.

Normans are ultimately descended from Danish Vikings who settled in Neustria early in the 10th century, beginning with Hrolf (Rollo). By the time of William's conquest of Saxon Harald Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, they had become thoroughly "Frenchified."

Now if your a descendent of William the Conqueror, you're related to the Queen and the current royal family.

quote:

---

We saw it in its museum when we stayed in Bayeux on our trip to Normandy in April, 2019.

---

I am going there in December. Can't wait.

I am following up to admit my uncle completely pulled my leg on this claim I should have been skeptical of from the moment I first heard it :lo:

quote:

---

Normans are ultimately descended from Danish Vikings who settled in Neustria early in the 10th century, beginning with Hrolf (Rollo). By the time of William's conquest of Saxon Harald Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, they had become thoroughly "Frenchified."

---

"Jutland" keeps coming up again and again in English history. Of the 5 main post-Roman groups (this necessarily excludes Celtic Britons/Picts, Gaels, etc.), all but the Saxons have a relatively strong connection to the Jutland Peninsula.* Explicitly the Angles and Jutes take their names from a geographic feature of or the peninsula itself. The Great Heathen Army was composed primarily of Danes. And the Normans had Danish roots, although by the time of the conquest, they were a heavy admixture of Danes, Franks and folks of Gallo-Roman stock.

If one delves further, even the more widespread and intermittent Viking raids (pre-1066 and even later) had Danish components, although the percentage of groups from Norway and Sweden was greater than TGHA or the Normans.

* (Even the Saxons have some connections to the Southernmost portions of Jutland, just not as strong as the other groups.)

Statistically speaking, most Americans are descendants of William the Conqueror which also means most are descendants of Charlemagne. My family is also descendants of the Conqueror as I learned through the Mormon's family tree app (equally available to non-Mormons like me). I thought that was cool, then I researched it further and found learned of "Pedigree Collapse."

This means that nearly all white people are descendants of Charlemagne and William the Conqueror.

quote:

---

. . . nearly everyone currently living anywhere on the planet can claim to be the direct descendant of Charlemagne."

Oh.

But consider the irony: If you want to be truly Fabulous, "the mathematical distinction," said the teacher, "would be to not have Charlemagne as a direct ancestor."

This is what is meant by "Pedigree Collapse" — when the luckiest guy in the room can say: "Guess what? You can shake my family tree till everybody falls out, and I'm the only one here who is NOT RELATED to Charlemagne, or Cleopatra or Genghis Khan!"

And we all think: "Awesome!"

---

Are you related to Charlemagne?

So you’re related to Charlemagne? You and every other living European…