Rorik of Dorestad - Ruler of Dorestad

Ruler of Dorestad

After Rorik, together with Godfrid Haraldsson, conquered Dorestad and Utrecht in 850, emperor Lothair I had to acknowledge him as ruler of most of Friesland. Dorestad had been one of the most prosperous ports in Northern Europe for quite some time. By accepting Rorik as one of his subjects, Lothair managed to keep the city as a part of his realm. His sovereignty was still recognized. For example, the coinage produced at the local mint would continue to bear the name of the Emperor. On the other hand, Dorestad was already in economic decline. Leaving it to its fate was not much of a risk for the welfare of his state.

Bishop Hunger of Utrecht had to move to Deventer (to the east). Later on, together with Godfrid, Rorik went to Denmark to try and gain power during the Danish civil war of 854, but this wasn't a success. The Annales Bertiniani reports: "Lothar gave the whole of Frisia to his son Lothar, whereupon Hrørek and Gøtrik headed back to their native Denmark in the hope of gaining royal power. ... Hrørek and Gøtrik, on whom success had not smiled, remained based at Dorestad and held sway over most of Frisia.". Godfrid is not mentioned again and could have died not long of his return. The extent of Rorik's area of control at the time is uncertain. In "Carolingian Coinage and the Vikings" (2007), historian Simon Coupland made an educated guess based on primary sources. Rorik's recorded control over the city Gendt on the bank of the Waal River, suggests the river formed the southern border of the area. The Kennemerland is also mentioned as part of Rorik's area of control. Later negotiations with Louis the German would probably mean Rorik's area shared its eastern borders with East Francia. The western border is more obscure. Rorik and his brother controlled the islands of Zeeland in the 840s. There is no later mention of them in connection to Rorik; which could mean the ruler of Dorestad had never regained control over them.