For this week’s blog, Corey has been researching the life of the founder of the original “New Castle” upon Tyne, son of William the Conqueror and later Duke of Normandy, Robert Curthose. Read on to find out about the turbulent life of this fascinating and unfortunate man!

It all starts somewhere in Scandanavia in the 9th century with a gentleman, or not so gentle Viking called Rollo or Hrolf. Historians are uncertain of his origins and have come up with several differing ones. Written sources in this period are often limited, reading and writing not being essential for everyday life way back when. Most of the information we have on the earlier aspects of his career are from an early medieval historian, Dudo, writing in the 10th century.