History of Guernsey 933 when the islands, came under the control of William Longsword, son of Rollo the first Duke of Normandy, having been annexed from the Duchy of Brittany by the Duchy of Normandy. The island of Guernsey and the other island in the Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy. In the islands, Elizabeth II's traditional title as head of state is Duke of Normandy. (The masculine nomenclature "Duke" is retained even when the monarch is female.) According to tradition, Robert I, Duke of Normandy (the father of William the Conqueror) was journeying to England in
Maritime history of the Channel Islands at La Hougue Bie, Jersey give evidence of either populations living on or visiting the islands. Guernsey and Alderney were separated from mainland Europe around 7,000 BC with Jersey some time after, but even at 4,000 BC the islands were close to the mainland coast for basic boats to move between islands. Archaeological evidence of trade from the Iron Age period is in evidence in the Islands, with goods manufactured on the western coast such as armlets, Breton pottery and amphorae from the Mediterranean indicating trade along the Atlantic coast from Iberia to Ireland. Armorica was the nearest trade zone.