Gisela of France

14th century depiction of the marriage of Rollo and Gisela

Gisela of France, also called Gisella or Giséle (fl. 911), was traditionally a French princess and the consort of King Rollo.

According to tradition, Rollo was betrothed to Gisela, daughter to the king of West Francia, Charles the Simple, after his conversion to Christianity upon his ascension as ruler of Normandy in 911. Legend says that Rollo treated Gisela with cruelty. Her father sent her two knights to act as her support in Normandy, but they were both executed by hanging on the order of Rollo. Gisela had no children.

The marriage and the existence of Gisela are not confirmed. It has been suggested that, if she really did exist, she may have been a natural daughter of Charles.^[1]

References

• Gordon Home: Normandy the Scenery and Romance of Its Ancient Towns
• Willem Pieter Gerritsen,Anthony G. Van Melle,Tanis Guest: A dictionary of medieval heroes: characters in medieval narrative traditions

Notes

1. ↑ Pierre Bauduin, Chefs normands et élites franques, fin -Début siècle, (181-194), in Pierre Bauduin (éd.), Les Fondations scandinaves en Occident et les débuts du duché de Normandie, Publications du CRAHM, 2005, 271 pages, 182 ISBN 978-2-902685-28-8.