On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 22:43:55 -0500, "Todd Fatheree"
wrote:

Do you suppose the Normans considered themselves French?

Normandy was a duchy of France and at this period there was a "France"
ruled by a Capetian king that they could swear fealty to. Normandy was
only about 150 years old since they'd sailed up the Seine and first
demanded the land. They were "loyal" to France, in that they didn't
conflict with it as a state, but equally they were very distinct and saw
expansion and conquest (largely from their neighbours) as a reasonable
aim, which the rest of France generally didn't. The Normans also
invented the "feudal" system, that hallmark of medieval Europe that was
so good at allowing rulership at a distance. This was one of the world's
first real attempts at colonialism, as distinct from intermittent
raiding or occupation with permanent military force.

They were certainly part of France, but I don't think they'd have
"considered themselves" to be "French".

Here's a reasonable history of the period.
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/MA/NORMANS.HTM