Rollo did win concessions of land from the King of Francia, not as much land as he had asked for, but a good beginning none-the-less. The victory was bittersweet as it hadn’t been long before he heard of the massacres in Long and Longpré. Derelie and his son and daughter had perished at the hands of Haraldsson and his men. The news hardened him. He knew that he didn’t have the men to mount an attack on Haraldsson in Norway. There was little he could do, at least until he had consolidated his hold on this new land in Francia. He needed to gather all the enemies of Haraldsson to him, and secure the support of the French King for that confrontation.

Rollo spent the next two years solidifying his new holdings in Francia, a task that involved battles between those currently holding the towns along the Atlantic coast between Harfleur and Saint Valery en Caux. With each port secured, he opened the door to Francia a little wider for his countrymen and other Norsemen from Iceland and Greenland, who had targeted by the Norwegian King. The Norse and Danes began to settle in the communities along the coast and along the rivers flowing inland.

In 885 Rollo left his fortress at Rouen, his capital, to attack Paris. Like the Vikings before him, he wanted a rich payoff. Unlike the past raids, this time the city fortifications of Paris weren’t breached. Despite what looked like an impending defeat with the arrival of King Charles, Rollo was encouraged to sail further up the Seine River and attack Burgundy. King Charles also gave Rollo a sizable fortune and the promise of more land in Normandy as payment for taking care of the problems with Burgundy.

In 889, Rollo led a strong force of men to Bayeux which was to the southwest, not too distant from the Atlantic coast. Rollo approached Bayeux overland, a strategy that caught the Count of Rennes who had control of the city, by surprise.

The campaign was meant to enrich Rollo’s coffers. The battle was fierce with loss of many men on both sides of the battle. And, as with all Rollo’s campaigns, women and children were spared. However, the town itself was, for the most part, demolished. Once inside the Count’s castle in Bayeux, he saw the daughter of the Count de Rennes, who was nine years old, a girl named Poppa.

Seeing the girl surrounded by a bevy of older girls and women, as well as another girl near her own age, Rollo knew that this was the Count’s daughter. He studied her closely and saw a surprising level of determined resistance in the girl, unlike the cowering women who stood huddled just behind the girl who stood firm, though quivering in fear.

“And who are you who would dare to confront me?” Rollo bellowed with pretended ferocity which had the effect of having the women retreat even further behind the girl. Only her age-mate stood nearby though visibly afraid and shaking.

“I am Poppa, my father is the ruler of Bayeux. And who are you, barbarian?” she demanded with a voice that was used to being obeyed.

“I am your new master, Rollo. Your father’s city has been laid to waste, your father is dead, and the blood of your army lies thick in the lanes. There is no one left in Bayeux to save you.”

“And I suppose like all heathens, you are going to rape all of us and then kill us. Pigs! Pagans! I’d rather die right now than lie with a monster such as you.”

Despite her words, Poppa was as terrified as the other women. Rollo was huge. She had never seen such a big man. However, he wasn’t as fierce as his voice suggested. She could see it in his eyes which betrayed his intelligence and even a bit of humour.

“Don’t think for a moment that I would rape a child like you. All you would be good for is to be one of my lesser servants, since it is obvious you don’t know how to work. As for killing women and children, it’s not going to happen. Consider all of you now as trophies. You will be taken to my fortress in Rouen. As for raping? Well, that doesn’t extend to children. However, for the ladies? Well, you know the expression, men will be men, especially after a victory.”

With those words spoken the women began to scream in fear.

“Don’t worry my ladies, it won’t happen today. Once we have returned to Rouen, you will be divvied up among my men.”

Rollo took Poppa back to his fortress in Rouen. Three years later, Rollo married her following Danish traditions. A son was born to them in 893 in Rouen. He was named Guillaume.

Rollo couldn’t relax in Rouen as there were enemies on all sides, enemies including the Norsemen under King Haraldsson who wanted what Rollo had claimed as his. The same Norsemen were constantly attacking the Franks outside of Rollo’s territory, as well as the Bretons to the southwest.

In 911, King Charles III signed a formal document granting Rollo the territory of Normandy based on two conditions. The first condition was that Rollo would actively assist King Charles III in the defence of Francia. The second condition was that Rollo, and his children would be baptised. It was the beginning of a new era.

In 912, Rollo was christened Robert, the first Count of Normandy. His son was christened Guillaume.