The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-09
ROLLO AND THE NORMANS
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I ovingian and the Carlovingian lines
had ended, and that a single great
monarchy would spread from the
orkneys to the Pryamees. So strong
an association Is established in most
minds between the greatness OF q SOW
ereign and the greatness OF the nation
which he rules, that almost every his
torlan Of England has expatiated with
a sentiment OF exultation on the power
and splendor OF her foreign masters.
and has lamented the decay OF that
power and splendor as a calamity to
our country. This is absurd. The
Conqueror and his descendants. to the
fourth generation were not English
men; most Of them were born In
| France; they spent the greater part
of their life in France; their ordinary
speech was French; almost every high
Office in their gift was filled by q
Frenchman: every acquisition which
they made on the continent estranged
them more and more from the popu-
lation OF England. One OF the abIest
among them indeed attempted TO win
the hearts OF his English subjects by
espousing an English princess. But.
| by many Of his barons, this marriage
was regarded as a marriage between
a white planter and a quadroon girl
would now be regarded in Virginia. In
the history he 10 known by the hon
Durable name OF Beauclerc But in
his own time, his own country-men
| called him by a Saxon nickname, I'm
| contemptuous allusion TO his Saxon
connection.
| Had the Plantsgenets, as at one
time seemed likely, succeeded in unit
ing all France under their govern
ment, IL is probable that England
would never had had an independent
existence. Her princes, her lords. her
prelstes would have been men differ
ing in race and language from the
artisans and the tillers Of the earth.
| The revenues from her great proprie-
: tors would have been spent in festi-
| vitias and diversions on the banks Of
the Seine. The noble language OF Mil
ton and Burke would have remained a
rustic dialect, without a literature. a
fixed grammar, or fixed 0rthogra pfy,
and would have been contemptuously
abandoned to the use OF the Doors. No
man OF English extraction would have
risen to eminence. except by becoming
in speech and habits a Trenchman.
England owes her esca pc from such
calamities to an event which her his
torians have generally represented as
disastrous. Her interest was so direct
~ opposed to the interests of her ruler
that she had no hope but in their err
rors and misfortunes. The talents and
! even the virtues of her first six French
kings were curse to her. The follias
and vices Of her seventh were her sal
walton. Had John inherited the great
| qualities OF his father, of Henry Beau
clero, or of the conqueror nay, had he
| even possessed the martial courage of
Steaphen or Of Richard, and had the
king OF France at the same time been
as incapable as all the other successors
OF Hugh Capet had been, the house
OF Plantagenet must have risen to un-
| rivaled ascendency in Europe. But,
just at this coniunoture. France. for
the first time since the death or
Charlemagne, was governed by q
prince Of great frmne5s and ability
On the other hand England, which,
since the battle OF Hastings, had been
ruled generally by wise statesmen. al
ways by brave soldiers, fell under the
dominion OF triher and a coward
From that moment her prospects
|
Normandy. The Norman mobiles were
compelled to make their election be-
tween the island and the continent
Shut up by the sea with the people
whom they had hitherto oppressed and
despised, they gradually came to re-
gard England as their country, and
the English as their countrymen. The
two races, so long hostile. soon found
that thew had rouoY1ou fafe
common enemies. Both were alike ae-
grieved by the tyranny OF bad king.
Both were alike indignant at the
favor shown by the court to the ma
tiyes Of Potion and Aquitaine The
greatgrandsons of those who had
fought under William and the great
grandsons OF those who had fought
under Harold began TO draw near TO
each other in friendship: and the first
! pledge OF their reconciliation was the
great charter, won by their united
exertions, and framed for the common
benefit.
Here commences the history of the
English nation
/, The Norman-French language was
used in the English parliament until
1915. when 1t was replaced by Eng
liSh.
The most important great charter
next to the one, that was given by
King John OF England is the constitu-
tion OF the United States. BY this ev-
| eEyone has now the same rights as the
Scandinavian Vikings and the Norman
nob.es. In the course OF lime all the
English. Scotch and Irish peoples have
become llnesl descendants OF the Nor
mans and their Viking forafa there
Ana che spirit of law and order, equal
rights and independence is also trans
nl4taed to US from RolIo and his men.
who a thousand years ago conquered
French Normandy. H. o. Fjelde