The Story of Poppa of Bayeux
AD 890: A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty: the House of Normandy
Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.
Thank you for inviting me today, Tony. I’m so delighted to be here, and to talk about Poppa of Bayeux, often forgotten wife of Rollo the Viking. In my view, Poppa was a courageous young woman whose loyalties were often tested, and who had to face serious challenges.
I visited Normandy for the first time in 2007, and I was immediately drawn into the dramatic history of the county. In those days, my main focus was on the Anarchy, and the movements of the Empress Matilda, and on Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, so I gave little thought to Poppa and Rollo (Hrólfr in my novel, to give him his Norse name).
Bayeux in 2007 was a pretty town, bustling with tourists yet sleepy at the same time. I loved the atmosphere there. And, of course, we saw the beautiful, world-famous Tapestry. I was sneaky as, when I reached the end, I went right back to the start, taking it all in. It’s such an incredible piece of work. Truly amazing.
It was only much later did I cross paths with Poppa again. In the last two years, I always wanted to take a road trip north, but thanks to Covid, nothing came of the plan. In the meantime, I worked on other projects, but Poppa kept invading my head. So, eventually, I had to sit down and write about her. And boy, did she talk!
Not much is known about Poppa, other than that she was handfasted in the Danish custom (in more danico) to Rollo, and they had two children, a son and a daughter. The dates are all still vague, and I’ve found pretty conflicting details. In the end, I chose the years that made most sense to my (her!) story.
She is said to have been the daughter of Count Bérengar of Bayeux. Or of Rennes. Or both! Or perhaps her father was called Guy de Senlis, but there’s no record him as such. So I stayed local and kept him Count of Bayeux, minor nobility. That made her Lady Poppa.
Some sources claim Poppa was set aside when Rollo and King Charles of the West Franks signed the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911, where he agreed to to defend large tracts of Neustria in exchange for lands, likely a title, and the hand of the king’s illegitimate daughter, Gisela. Rollo also had to convert to Christianity, which he did.
Around the same time of his baptism, his two children by Poppa, William and Geirlaug (who took the baptismal name of Adela) were baptised. This means that prior to his conversion, his children were possible or Norse faith.
There is no record of Gisela, although the offspring of Frankish kings were fairly well recorded in those days, so why was she invented? Perhaps to add legitimacy to his own, and later his son’s, claim to Neustria / Normannia? That would be my guess. Nonetheless, I have included her in the novel, as it provides Poppa and Hrólfr with a true dilemma.
Another issue is that of the title. There is no record that Rollo was made a duke. I think it’s highly unlikely that he would have become a duke. In those days, the title passed to members of the Royal family, usually younger sons, and it was inherited through the bloodline. (Yes, there’s the ‘Gisela’ argument again, but would a former heathen, an attacker, really be given such a prestigious and powerful tool?)
It’s more likely that Rollo was made a count or earl – jarl in Norse, matching the title of the earls in the north of Scotland. Given his heritage, I think that’s far more likely. He gained power and prestige, but not to get too close to the Frankish high nobles. Many still regarded him as a usurper, and his son William had a continuous fight on his hands to defend his inheritance, but that’s for the next novel about his more danico wife, Sprota the Breton…
As you can see, whilst we don’t know much about Poppa’s life, the snippets that were recorded – such as her handfasted marriage, her children, their flight to East Anglia and subsequent return – gave me plenty of material to begin with.
The rest, I’ve told in Poppa’s very own words!
Thank you again for having me here, Tony. I hope your readers enjoyed my post about Poppa of Bayeux.
Cathie Dunn
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About the Author
Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance, all with strong, courageous women. Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing, with a focus on novel writing, which she now teaches in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites.At the moment, Cathie is working on two novels: Betrayal (working title), the second in the House of Normandy series about Sprota the Breton, and The Alchemist's Daughter, #2 in the Affair of the Poisons series.Cathie's stories have garnered readers' awards and praise from reviewers and readers for their authentic description of the past. Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Alliance of Independent Authors. After many years in Scotland, Cathie now lives in south of France with her husband, a cat that turned up on her terrace one day, and a rescue dog. Find out more at her website www.cathiedunn.com and follow Cathie on Facebook and Twitter @cathiedunn
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