Duke of Normandy

The Duke of Normandy is a title held (or claimed) by various Norman, English, French and British rulers from the 10th century. The Duchy of Normandy was created in 911 for the Viking leader Rollo.

As his predecessors were styled jarl (earl) of the Northmen (Normans), Richard II was the first to be styled duke of Normandy. In 1066, William the Conqueror added the kingdom of England to his realm, through the Norman Conquest.

In 1204, during the reign of King John, mainland Normandy was taken from England by France under King Philip II while insular Normandy remained (and remains) under the English Duke of Normandy. Thus the Loyal Toast in the Islands is given as La Reine, notre Duc (the Queen, our Duke). Note that, because of traditional constitutional issues to do with inheritance of the British crown, she is not the "Duchess" of Normandy but she is a female "Duke." (Likewise, she is not the "Duchess" but the female "Duke of Lancaster.")

Under the Treaty of Paris (1259), Henry III of England recognised the legality of French possession of Normandy. English monarchs, and their British successors, continued (and continue) to use the title "Duke of Normandy" in reference to insular Normandy. English monarchs made subsequent attempts to reclaim their former continental possessions, particularly during the Hundred Years' War. From Henry V, by the Treaty of Troyes of 1420, until George III in 1801, English and British monarchs claimed the throne of France itself, and included "King of France" at the top of their list of titles.

On several occasions, the Duchy was given out as an appanage for a member of the French royal family, most notably by Philip VI for his eldest son, the future King John II; by John II for his son, the future Charles V, who was, however, usually known as the Dauphin; and by Louis XI for his brother Charles, usually known by his other title of Duc de Berri.

Interestingly, the future James VII & II of Scotland, England and Ireland, was created "Duke of Normandy" by King Louis XIV of France on December 31, 1660. This was a few months after James's brother, Charles II, had been restored to the throne in England and Ireland. (Charles had already been crowned in Scotland, in 1651.) Since Charles would have already claimed the title "Duke of Normandy" - indeed, it was in insular Normandy, in Jersey, that he was first proclaimed king, in 1649 - the French king's giving the same title to James, in respect of mainland Normandy, was undoubtedly a political gesture.

The future Louis XVII was also known as Duke of Normandy before his elder brother's death in 1789.

Succession of the Dukes of Normandy

• Rollo 911-927
• William Longsword 927-942
• Richard I 942-996
• Richard II, the Good, 996-1027
• Richard III, 1027-1028
• Robert the Magnificent (Robert the Devil), 1028-1035
• William the Conqueror 1035-1087
• Robert Curthose 1087-1106
• Henry Beauclerk 1106-1135
• Stephen 1135-1144
• Geoffrey Plantagenet 1144-1150
• Henry II 1150-1189
• Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard Lionheart) 1189-1199
• John 1199-1216 (possession of mainland Normandy lost, 1204
• Henry III 1216-1259 (signed Treaty of Paris (1259) recognising French control of mainland Normandy; subsequenty English and British monarchs have borne the title "Duke of Normandy" only as it pertains to the Channel Islands and English/British constitutional history)

Dynasty

Dukes of Normandy were one of the most important princes in medieval France, both when the duchy was their main holding (911-1066) and when they were holders of other yet more remarkable holdings, such as kings of England (1066-1204).

In male line, they were (as far as to Empress Maud) descended from Ragnvald Eysteinsson, Earl of More in Norway. Dukes of Normandy set a weight in their family tradition to legends that their male-line ancestry thus is the ancient kings of Finland.

Further reading

• Onslow, Richard (Earl of Onslow). The Dukes of Normandy and Their Origin. London: Hutchinson & Co., 1945.