6 Awesome Legends Behind 6 Bad Ass Vikings Characters
5. Rollo
The part of a brooding, vicious Rollo is played by Clive Standen in the History Channel's retelling of his tale. A ruthless and highly skilled warrior, Rollo is cursed with being the brother of the greatest man of his age, living his life in Ragnar's ever-growing shadow. His feelings towards his brother are a complicated mix of loyalty, admiration and jealousy. This love-hate relationship leads to Rollo switching sides more than once over the course of the show to date, and don't be surprised to see him turn his cloak once again, if writer Michael Hirst plans to stick to the history books while penning the new season. Known in Icelandic sagas as Ganger Hrolf, Rollo was born in More, western Norway sometime in the late 9th century. After journeying across the sea to Scotland and Ireland, he and his men sailed up the River Seine and took part in a number of daring raids in the north west of France, eventually settling in the lands between the Seine Valley and Rouen. Unable to do much else about the Northmen, Charles The Simple (much maligned King of the Franks at the time) granted Rollo permission to stay and farm the fertile land there, on the condition that he protect it from further raids by other Vikings looking for land and spoils. Rollo was then baptised as Robert, and would become arguably more famous than Ragnar Hairy Breeches. He ruled over the area that would eventually become known as Normandy for a decade, with his son William Longsword succeeding him after his death. Rollo's offspring would then change the course of Europe's history, ruling as Dukes of Normandy until his great-great-great-grandson William The Conqueror decided he would take England once and for all. In the show, Rollo is being set up for a romance with the Frankish King's daughter Gisela, which some historians believe to be one of the conditions of Rollo being allowed to settle in Frankia. Whether he ended up with the princess or not, in reality Rollo's children were mothered by a count's daughter named Poppa of Bayeux.
