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Viking Identities and Ethnic Boundaries in England and Normandy, C.950 – C.1015

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Viking Identities and Ethnic Boundaries in England and Normandy, C.950 – C.1015 1 Enemy and Ancestor: Viking Identities and Ethnic Boundaries in England and Normandy, c.950 – c.1015 Katherine Clare Cross UCL Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2 I, Katherine Cross, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. Signed 3 Abstract This thesis is a comparison of ethnicity in Viking Age England and Normandy. It focuses on the period c.950-c.1015, which begins several generations after the initial Scandinavian settlements in both regions. The comparative approach enables an investigation into how and why the two societies’ inhabitants differed in their perceptions of viking heritage and its impact on ethnic relations in this period. Written sources provide the key to these perceptions: genealogies, histories, hagiographies, charters and law codes. The thesis is the first study to juxtapose and compare these sources and aspects of Viking Age England and Normandy. The approach to ethnicity is informed by the social sciences, especially Fredrik Barth’s Ethnic Groups and Boundaries. The emphasis here is on ethnic identity as a social construct and as a product of belief in group membership. In particular, this investigation treats ethnic identity separately from cultural markers such as names, dress, appearance, and art. In doing so, it presents a new perspective in discussions of assimilation after Scandinavian settlement. For the purpose of analysis, ‘ethnicity’ has been divided into three strands: genealogical, historical and geographical identity. Sources from England and Normandy are compared within each of the three strands. The thesis demonstrates the development of a single ‘viking’ group identity in Normandy, which was defined in distinction to the Franks. In England, on the other hand, ‘viking’ and ‘Scandinavian’ identities held various meanings and were deployed in diverse situations. No single group laid exclusive claim to viking heritage, nor completely rejected it. Ultimately, it is argued that viking identity was used as a tool in political and military conflicts. It was not an expression of association with Scandinavian allies, but most often was used as a more local means of distinction within England and Normandy. 4 Contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgments 7 Abbreviations 9 Note on Terminology 10 Introduction 11 Part I: Genealogical Identity 47 Chapter 1. Genealogical Identity in Normandy 51 I. Frankish royal genealogy 51 II. Royal genealogy and origin myths 56 III. Royalty and aristocracy 60 IV. Dudo’s De moribus et actis primorum Normanniae ducum 69 as genealogy V. Dudo’s origo gentis 76 VI. Conclusion 83 Chapter 2. Genealogical Identity in England 85 I. English royal genealogy 85 II. West Saxons and Scyldings 96 III. Origo gentis 99 IV. Aristocracy and genealogy 101 V. Æthelweard’s family history 105 VI. Æthelweard’s English origin myth 113 5 VII. Conclusion 116 Part II: Historical Identity 119 Chapter 3. Historical Identity in Normandy 123 I. Norman history and hagiography 123 II. Saints crossing boundaries: the translations of St 126 Audoenus III. Divinely-directed conquest: the prophecies of St Romanus 136 a. Dating the Vita Romani 137 b. Romanus’s viking prophecies 142 IV. Ruin and restoration: the Fécamp Chronicle 151 V. Conclusion 157 Chapter 4. Historical Identity in England 162 I. Saints and vikings 162 II. Exemplary martyrdom: St Edmund of East Anglia 166 III. Defending the kingdom: St Neot 175 a. Dating the Lives of St Neot 176 b. St Neot, Alfred and Guthrum 181 IV. English and Danish in the north: St Cuthbert 185 V. Conclusion 192 Part III: Geographical Identity 198 Chapter 5. Geographical Identity in early Norman charters 202 I. Norman ducal charters 202 II. Ducal self-presentation 209 6 a. Rulers of Normandy 210 b. Counts of Rouen 213 c. King and duke 218 III. Territorial range of ducal authority 223 IV. Origins of ducal authority 228 V. ‘The kingdom won by the sweat of battle’ 236 VI. Conclusion 240 Chapter 6. Geographical Identity in English royal diplomas 243 I. The Danelaw 243 II. Tenth-century royal diplomas 249 III. Royal and imperial authority 254 IV. Origins of royal authority 265 V. Territorial range of royal authority 272 VI. Conclusion 277 General Conclusion 279 Bibliography 300 7 Acknowledgements I would like to thank all those who have helped me in various ways during the time I have been researching and writing this thesis. My primary thanks go to my supervisor, Antonio Sennis, who has supported, encouraged and inspired me throughout my time at UCL and the writing of this thesis. I have always been motivated by Antonio’s suggestions, discussion and advice on all aspects of the research process, and feel very fortunate to have benefited from his guidance. UCL’s History department has provided a supportive environment in which to pursue my research, and I extend my thanks to the staff and the research students who have made my time there both pleasant and productive. UCL’s medievalists, especially Sophie Page and David d’Avray, have offered ideas and encouragement. David read some of my work and made a number of useful suggestions in my upgrade, and since then has given much helpful advice. I wish to express my gratitude to the Arts and Humanities Research Council for funding my PhD study at UCL, and also to the funders of the UCL Cross-Disciplinary Research Training Scholarship, which allowed me to spend a year in UCL’s Scandinavian Studies department. This extra period of study taught me new perspectives on my topic, gave me the chance to begin studying Old Norse, and introduced me to a wealth of literature which brought much pleasure as well as insight into various points of my thesis. I am grateful to the department for hosting me, the tutors of the classes I took, and my fellow PhD students for being so welcoming. I would like to thank my second supervisor, Haki Antonsson, for all his help over the previous four years, and especially during my year in the Scandinavian Studies department. I am very grateful for Haki’s willingness to read drafts of my work and for his helpful feedback. I also benefited from Haki’s supervision when taking part in the Old Norse and Viking Studies Masterclasses in Nottingham, Bergen and Selje. I am grateful to all the ‘Masters’ who contributed to this programme. I am especially grateful to Lesley Abrams for inviting me to take part in the Masterclasses. Lesley inspired my interest in Viking Age England during the first weeks of my undergraduate degree and subsequently acted as supervisor for my Master’s dissertation. Since then, Lesley has kindly shown interest in my research and introduced me to several opportunities. I also wish to thank Heather O’Donoghue, who also 8 supervised my master’s dissertation and suggested many productive initial avenues of research. Thank you to all my friends and family for enthusiastically taking part in many conversations about sagas, saints and sociology – and for many more that had nothing to do with the Middle Ages. Special thanks go to Liz Cross, Anthony Walker, Mona Sakr and Andrew Fleming for proof-reading sections of this thesis, which is only the most recent way in which they have helped. Jon Cross and Marie Claire Shankland brought much-needed cake at the last minute. Steve has supported me in every way, by proof- reading, giving pep-talks, helping me get organized in the last few months, and much more. It is thanks to his encouragement that I could persevere and complete my research. I am most of all grateful to my parents. They have always shown enthusiasm for this project, made comments and suggestions, discussed the central ideas, and sent me postcards of viking runes. They have helped in numerous practical ways, from buying me a desk at the beginning to proof-reading at the end. I am very thankful for all their support. 9 Abbreviations AASS Acta Sanctorum quotquot tot orbe coluntur (Antwerp and Brussels, 1643- 1940) ANS Anglo-Norman Studies ASC Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Quotations are taken from the various volumes of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A Collaborative Edition, ed. by David Dumville and Simon Keynes (Cambridge: Brewer, 1983- ). Translations are given from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, trans. by Michael Swanton (London: Phoenix, 1996; rev. ed. 2000). ASC A Volume 3. MS A, ed. by Janet M. Bately (1986) ASC B Volume 4. MS B, ed. by Simon Taylor (1983) ASC C Volume 5. MS C, A semi-diplomatic edition with introduction and indices, ed. by Katherine O’Brien O’Keeffe (2001) ASC D Volume 6. MS D, ed. by G.P. Cubbin (1996) ASC E Volume 7. MS E, ed. by Susan Irvine (2004) BHL Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina BSAN Bulletin de la Société des Antiquaires de Normandie Christiansen Dudo of St Quentin: History of the Normans, trans. by Eric Christiansen (Woodbridge: Boydell, 1998) EHD English Historical Documents, ed. by David C. Douglas, 10 vols (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1953-1977; 2nd ed. London: Methuen, 1979- ), I: c.500-1042, ed. by Dorothy Whitelock (1979) EHR English Historical Review EME Early Medieval Europe F Recueil des Actes des Ducs de Normandie (911-1066), ed. by Marie Fauroux, Mémoires de la Société des Antiquaires de Normandie, 36 (Caen: Caron, 1961) HSC Historia de Sancto Cuthberto, ed. by Ted Johnson South (Cambridge: Brewer, 2002) Lair Dudo of Saint-Quentin, De Moribus et Actis Primorum Normanniae Ducum: Auctore Dudone Sancti Quinini Decano, ed. by Jules Lair (Caen: Le Blanc-Hardel, 1865) MGH Monumenta Germaniae Historica S The Electronic Sawyer: Online Catalogue of Anglo-Saxon Charters <http://www.esawyer.org.uk/> [accessed 19/05/2013] TRHS Transactions of the Royal Historical Society VPSN The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A Collaborative Edition, ed.
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