Whether they really came on invitation may be doubted, but that they adopted the language, religion, and customs of the native population does not militate against the assertion that they were Normans.

On the contrary, we have here rather an additional confirmation, for elsewhere the Normans did likewise.

In the North of France they adopted almost at once the French language and religion, and the son and successor of the famous Rollo was sometimes reproached with being more French than Norman.* *Strinnholm, "Die Vikingerzuge" (Hamburg, 1839), I., p.

135.
Though it is difficult to decide how far the legend is literally true, there can be no possible doubt that the event which it more or less accurately describes had an important influence on Russian history.

From that time dates the rapid expansion of the Russo-Slavonians--a movement that is still going on at the present day.