Gripla - 20.12.2013, Blaðsíða 13

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the younger (probably a nephew of the Herioldus mentioned earlier) with
Walcheren and the neighbouring regions as a benefice, the object of this
magnificent gift being to secure his services and deter him from raiding.41
In 850 Rorik, another danish aspirant, becomes the final major
scandinavian player whose contacts with the empire can be documented
in this kind of detail. Initially he challenged Lothar I by joining forces
with Godofridus II to raid frisia and seize dorestad. Lothar of necessity
accepted Rorik’s fealty and accorded him a benefice comprising dorestad
and other counties, in return for which Rorik agreed to pay Lothar the
customary taxes and to resist danish incursions.42 this was yet another
massive gift, or concession, on the frankish side, since dorestad at that
time still rated as one of northern europe’s greatest trading centres and an
important link to Hedeby and Birka.43 Meanwhile, also in 850, Godofridus
II ravaged the lands of Charles the Bald; subsequently he was received
into Charles’s kingdom and was granted land.44 Although Rorik remained
subject to Lothar I, he enjoyed a certain measure of political independence,
even before his conversion to Christianity, and is referred to from 857 as
a king in his own right in contemporary sources.45 According to the Vita
Anskarii, he developed a strong bond with Anskar, whom he treated as
one of his counsellors, culminating in his conversion.46 When the northern
part of the central frankish realm was divided between the east and West
frankish kingdoms in 870, Charles immediately entered into negotiations
with him at nijmegen.47 In 872 he held further talks, at which Rorik was
now joined by his nephew Rodulfus, possibly the holder of co-leader status
41 Roesdahl, The Vikings, 197 and 200–1.
42 Annales Fuldenses, in Quellen zur karolingischen Reichsgeschichte, 3:38–40; Roesdahl, The
Vikings, 200–1.
43 Roesdahl, The Vikings, 197. see also Annemarieke Willemsen, ‘dorestad discussed: Con-
nections and Conclusions’, in Dorestad in an International Framework: New Research on
Centres of Trade and Coinage in Carolingian times, ed. Annemarieke Willemsen and Hanneke
kik (turnhout: Brill, 2012), 177.
44 Maund, ‘“A turmoil of Warring Princes”’, 39.
45 simon Coupland, ‘from Poachers to Gamekeepers: scandinavian Warlords and Carolingian
kings’, Early Medieval Europe 7.1 (1998): 98–9.
46 Paul edward dutton, ed., Carolingian Civilization: A Reader, Readings in Medieval
Civilizations and Cultures, vol. 1 (Peterborough, on: Broadview Press, 2004), 428.
47 Annales Bertiniani, 206; Roesdahl, The Vikings, 200.
sCHoLARs And skALds