William I
King of the English (more...)
The Duke of Normandy in the Bayeux Tapestry
Reign	25 December 1066 – 9 September 1087
Coronation	25 December 1066
Predecessor	England: Edgar Ætheling (uncrowned), Harold II Normandy: Robert I the Magnificent
Successor	England: William II Rufus Normandy: Robert II Curthose, Duke of Normandy
Consort	Matilda of Flanders
among others Issue
Robert II, Duke of Normandy Richard, Duke of Bernay William II of England Adela, Countess of Blois Henry I of England
Detail Titles and styles
King of the English Duke of the Normans
Father	Robert the Magnificent
Mother	Herlette of Falaise
Born	1027 Falaise, France
Died	9 September 1087 Convent of St. The precise style of British Sovereigns has varied over the years The Bayeux Tapestry (Tapisserie de Bayeux is a 50 cm by 70 m (20 in by 230 ft long embroidered cloth which explains the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the Robert the Magnificent ( June 22, 1000 – 3 July 1035) also called Robert the Devil or Robert I, was the Duke of William II (c 1056 &ndash 2 August 1100) the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror was King of England from 1087 Matilda of Flanders (c 1031 – 2 November 1083 was Queen consort of the Kingdom of England and the wife of William I the Conqueror. Richard was born in 1054 in Normandy, France, the second legitimate son of William the Conqueror, King of England and Duke of Normandy. William II (c 1056 &ndash 2 August 1100) the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror was King of England from 1087 also Adelaide of Normandy sister of William I of England. Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Robert the Magnificent ( June 22, 1000 – 3 July 1035) also called Robert the Devil or Robert I, was the Duke of Herleva (c 1003 - c 1050 also known as Arlette, Arletta, and Herlève, was the mother of William I of England. Falaise is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in Normandy, northwestern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Gervais, Rouen
Burial	Saint-Étienne de Caen, France

William I of England (1027^[1] – 9 September 1087), also known as William the Conqueror (French: Guillaume le Conquérant), was Duke of Normandy from 1035 and King of England from 1066 to his death. Rouen (ʁwɑ̃ in French) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital The Abbaye aux Hommes ("Men's Abbey" is a former Abbey church in the French city of Caen. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Duke of Normandy is a Title held or claimed by various Norman, French, English and British rulers from the 10th century until the The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during

To claim the English crown, William invaded England in 1066, leading an army of Normans to victory over the Anglo-Saxon forces of Harold Godwinson (who died in the conflict) at the Battle of Hastings, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the The Battle of Hastings was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England. This is a list of Revolutions and Rebellions BC 499 BC - 493 BC: Ionian Revolt. ^[2]

His reign, which brought Norman culture to England, had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages. Great Britain during the Middle Ages (from the 5th century withdrawal of Roman forces from the province of Britannia In addition to political changes, his reign also saw changes to English law, a programme of building and fortification, changes to the vocabulary of the English language, and the introduction of continental European feudalism into England. English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of Common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countriesand the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed

As Duke of Normandy, he is known as William II. Duke of Normandy is a Title held or claimed by various Norman, French, English and British rulers from the 10th century until the He was also, particularly before the conquest, known as William the Bastard. ^[3]

Early life

William was born in Falaise, Normandy, the illegitimate and only son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, who named him as heir to Normandy. Falaise is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in Normandy, northwestern Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. In Common law, legitimacy is the status of a Child that is born to parents who are legally married to one another or that is born shortly after the Robert the Magnificent ( June 22, 1000 – 3 July 1035) also called Robert the Devil or Robert I, was the Duke of His mother, Herleva (among other names), who later had two sons to another father, was the daughter of Fulbert, most probably a local tanner. Herleva (c 1003 - c 1050 also known as Arlette, Arletta, and Herlève, was the mother of William I of England. Herluin de Conteville (1001–1066 also sometimes listed as Herlevin De Conteville, was the stepfather of William the Conqueror, and the father of two men who became Fulbert of Falaise (fl 11th century) was the father of Herleva, mother of the illegitimate William the Conqueror, the 11th-century Duke of Normandy Tanning is the process of converting Putrescible skin into non-putrescible Leather, usually with Tannin, an Acidic Chemical compound He also had a sister, Adelaide of Normandy, also through Robert and Herleva. Adelaide of Normandy (c 1026 in Calvados, France - c 1090 was the sister or half-sister of William the Conqueror. Later in life the enemies of William are said to have commented derisively that William stank like a tanner shop, and the residents of besieged Alençon hung skins from the city walls to taunt him. Alençon is a town and commune in Normandy, France, préfecture (capital of the Orne department.

William is believed to have been born in either 1027 or 1028, and more likely in the autumn of the later year. ^[1] He was born the grandnephew of Queen Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred the Unready and later of King Canute the Great. Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by Ethelred II ( c. 968 – 23 April 1016 also known as Æthelred II, Aethelred II, Ethelred the Unready, Æthelred the Unready } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian ^[4]

Duke of Normandy

By his father's will, William succeeded him as Duke of Normandy at age eight in 1035 and was known as Duke William of Normandy (French: Guillaume, duc de Normandie; Latin: Guglielmus Dux Normanniae). French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Plots by rival Norman noblemen to usurp his place cost William three guardians, though not Count Alan of Brittany, who was a later guardian. This is a family tree of the Dukes of Brittany from the 9th century, to the annexation of Brittany by France in 1532. William was supported by King Henry I of France, however. Henry I ( 4 May 1008 &ndash 4 August 1060) was King of France from 1031 to his death He was knighted by Henry at age 15. By the time William turned 19 he was successfully dealing with threats of rebellion and invasion. With the assistance of Henry, William finally secured control of Normandy by defeating rebel Norman barons at Caen in the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047, obtaining the Truce of God, which was backed by the Roman Catholic Church. Caen (kɑ̃ is a commune in northwestern France. It is the Prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the The Battle of Val-ès-Dunes was fought in 1047 by the combined forces of William, Duke of Normandy and King Henry I of France against the

Against the wishes of Pope Leo IX, William married Matilda of Flanders in 1053 in the Cathedral of Notre Dame at Eu, Normandy (Seine-Maritime). Pope Matilda of Flanders (c 1031 – 2 November 1083 was Queen consort of the Kingdom of England and the wife of William I the Conqueror. NotreDameFlyingButtressjpg|right|thumb|250px|Notre Dame de Paris Flying Buttress]] Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic Cathedral on the eastern half of the Eu is a historic town in northern France. It is the chief town of a canton situated close to the coast in the département of Seine-Maritime Seine-Maritime is a French department in Normandy. Before 1955 it was known as Seine-Inférieure. At the time, William was about 24 years old and Matilda was 22. William is said to have been a faithful and loving husband, and their marriage produced four sons and six daughters. In repentance for what was a consanguine marriage (they were distant cousins), William donated St-Stephen's church (l'Abbaye-aux-Hommes) and Matilda donated Sainte-Trinité church (Abbaye aux Dames). The Abbaye aux Hommes ("Men's Abbey" is a former Abbey church in the French city of Caen. The Abbaye aux Dames is a former abbey in Caen, Normandy, northern France, now home to the Conseil Régional de Basse Normandie.

Feeling threatened by the increase in Norman power resulting from William's noble marriage, Henry I attempted to invade Normandy twice (1054 and 1057), without success. Already a charismatic leader, William attracted strong support within Normandy, including the loyalty of his half-brothers Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, who played significant roles in his life. Odo of Bayeux (c 1036 &ndash February 1097 Palermo) Norman Bishop and English earl was the half-brother of William the Conqueror, and was for Robert Count of Mortain was the half-brother of William I of England. Later, he benefitted from the weakening of two competing power centers as a result of the deaths of Henry I and of Geoffrey II of Anjou, in 1060. In 1062 William invaded and took control of the county of Maine, which had been a fief of Anjou. ^[5]

English succession

Upon the death of the childless Edward the Confessor, the English throne was fiercely disputed by three claimants -- William, Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex, and the Viking King Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hadraada. King Edward the Confessor (c 1003 &ndash 5 January 1066 son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England and the last Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Harald Sigurdsson (1015 &ndash September 25, 1066) later given the epithet Hardraada ( Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated William had a tenuous blood claim, through his great aunt Emma (wife of Ethelred and mother of Edward). Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by William also contended that Edward, who had spent much of his life in exile in Normandy during the Danish occupation of England, had promised William the throne when William visited Edward in London in 1052. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Finally, William claimed that Harold had pledged allegiance to him in 1064. William had rescued the shipwrecked Harold from the count of Ponthieu, and together they had defeated Conan II, Count of Brittany. Ponthieu is a former province of northern France. Its chief town is Abbeville. Conan II of Rennes (b c 1033 died December 11, 1066) was Duke of Brittany, from 1040 to his death Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into On that occasion, William knighted Harold, and deceived him by having him swear loyalty to William over the concealed bones of a saint. ^[6]

In January 1066, however, in accordance with Edward's last will and by vote of the Witenagemot, Harold Godwinson was crowned King by Archbishop Aldred. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in Aldred, or Ealdred (died 11 September 1069 English ecclesiastic was Abbot of Tavistock, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Hereford, Immediately the new monarch raised a large fleet of ships and mobilized a force of militia, arranging these around the coasts to anticipate attack from several directions. The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service Harold, after defeating his brother Tostig Godwinson and Harald Hardrada in the north, marched his army 241 miles to meet the invading William in the south. Tostig Godwinson (1026? &ndash September 25, 1066) was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold II of England Their forces met at what is now called the Battle of Hastings where it is said that Harold Godwinson was shot through the eye with an arrow and died. The Battle of Hastings was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England.

Norman invasion

Meanwhile, William submitted his claim to the English throne to Pope Alexander II, who sent him a consecrated banner in support. Alexander II (died April 21, 1073) born Anselmo da Baggio, was Pope from 1061 to 1073 Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious Then, William organized a council of war at Lillebonne and openly began assembling an army in Normandy. Lillebonne is a town and commune of France in the département of Seine-Maritime, 3 Offering promises of English lands and titles, he amassed at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme a considerable invasion force of 600 ships and 7,000 men, consisting of Normans, French mercenaries, and numerous foreign knights. Saint-Valery-sur-Somme is a town and canton of the Somme département. Initially, Harold opposed William with a large army on the south coast of England and a fleet of ships guarding the English Channel. ^[6]

Statue of William the Conqueror, holding Domesday Book on the West Front of Lichfield Cathedral. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.

Fortuitously, however, William's crossing was delayed by weeks of unfavourable winds. William managed to keep his army together during the wait, but Harold's was diminished by dwindling supplies and falling morale with the arrival of the harvest season. In Agriculture, the harvest is the process of Gathering mature crops from the fields Reaping is the cutting of Grain ^[7] He also consolidated his ships in London, leaving the English Channel unguarded. Then came the news that Harald III of Norway, allied with Tostig, had landed ten miles from York. Harald Sigurdsson (1015 &ndash September 25, 1066) later given the epithet Hardraada ( Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England.

Before Harold could return, the wind direction turned and William had crossed, landing his army at Pevensey Bay (Sussex) on September 28. Pevensey is a Village and Civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Then he moved to Hastings, a few miles to the east, where he built a prefabricated wooden castle for a base of operations. Hastings is a town on the coast of East Sussex in England; it is also the administrative centre for the Borough of the same name From there, he ravaged the hinterland and waited for Harold's return from the north. ^[8]

Battle of Hastings

On October 13, William received news that the already weakened army led by Harold was approaching from London, and at dawn the next day, William left the castle with his army and advanced towards the enemy. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Harold had taken a defensive position atop the Senlac Hill/Senlac ridge, about seven miles from Hastings, at present-day Battle, East Sussex.

The Battle of Hastings lasted all day. Although the numbers on each side were about equal, William had both cavalry and infantry, including many archers, while Harold had only foot soldiers and few if any archers. ^[9] Along the ridge's border, formed as a wall of shields, the English soldiers at first stood so effectively that William's army was thrown back with heavy casualties. William rallied his troops, however -- reportedly raising his helmet, as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry, to quell rumors of his death. Meanwhile, many of the English had pursued the fleeing Normans on foot, allowing the Norman cavalry to attack them repeatedly from the rear as his infantry pretended to retreat further. ^[10] Norman arrows also took their toll, progressively weakening the English wall of shields. A final Norman cavalry attack decided the battle irrevocably, resulting in the deaths of Harold, killed by an arrow in the eye, and two of his brothers, Gyrth and Leofwine Godwinson. At dusk, the English army made their last stand. By that night, the Norman victory was complete and the remaining English soldiers fled in fear.

March to London

For two weeks, William waited for a formal surrender of the English throne, but the Witenagemot proclaimed the quite young Edgar Ætheling instead, without coronation though. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc Thus, William's next target was London, approaching proudly through the important territories of Kent, via Dover and Canterbury, inspiring fear in the English. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. Canterbury ( ˈkæntəbɹ̩i is a City in eastern Kent in the South East region of England. However, at London, William's advance was beaten back at London Bridge, and he decided to march westward and to storm London from the northwest. London Bridge is a Bridge between the City of London and Southwark in London, England, over the River Thames. After receiving continental reinforcements, William crossed the Thames at Wallingford, and there he forced the surrender of Archbishop Stigand (one of Edgar's lead supporters), in early December. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. Wallingford is a small Market town and Civil parish in the upper Thames Valley in Oxfordshire, England. Stigand (died 1072 was an English churchman in pre- Norman Conquest England William reached Berkhamsted a few days later where Ætheling relinquished the English crown personally and the exhausted Saxon noblemen of England surrendered definitively. Berkhamsted is a historic town of some 19000 people It is situated in the west of Hertfordshire, between the towns of Tring and Hemel Hempstead. Although William was acclaimed then as English King, he requested a coronation in London. As William I, he was formally crowned on Christmas day 1066, in Westminster Abbey, by Archbishop Aldred. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Aldred, or Ealdred (died 11 September 1069 English ecclesiastic was Abbot of Tavistock, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Hereford, ^[6]

English resistance

Although the south of England submitted quickly to Norman rule, resistance in the north continued for six more years until 1072. During the first two years, King William I suffered many revolts throughout England (Dover, western Mercia, Wales, Exeter). Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Also, in 1068, Harold's illegitimate sons attempted an invasion of the southwestern peninsula, but William defeated them.

For William I, the worst crisis came from Northumbria, which had still not submitted to his realm. In 1068, with Edgar Ætheling, both Mercia and Northumbria revolted. Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc William could suppress these, but Edgar fled to Scotland where Malcolm III of Scotland protected him. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Máel Coluim mac Donnchada ( Modern Gaelic: Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh) called in most Anglicised regnal lists Malcolm III, and in later centuries Furthermore, Malcolm married Edgar's sister Margaret, with much éclat, stressing the English balance of power against William. Saint Margaret (c 1045 – 16 November 1093 was the sister of Edgar Ætheling, the short-ruling and uncrowned Anglo-Saxon King of England. Under such circumstances, Northumbria rebelled, besieging York. York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. Then, Edgar resorted also to the Danes, who disembarked with a large fleet at Northumbria, claiming the English crown for their King Sweyn II. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Sweyn II Estridsson Ulfsson (c 1019 &ndash April 28, 1074 or 1076 was the King of Denmark from 1047 until his death Scotland joined the rebellion as well. The rebels easily captured York and its castle. York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. York Castle (also known as Clifford's Tower) is a fortification in the city of York, England. However, William could contain them at Lincoln. Lincoln (ˈlɪŋkən is a Cathedral city and County town of Lincolnshire, England. After dealing with a new wave of revolts at western Mercia, Exeter, Dorset, and Somerset, William defeated his northern foes decisively at the River Aire, retrieving York, while the Danish army swore to depart. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county The River Aire is a major River in Yorkshire, England of length 114km (71m

William then devastated Northumbria between the Humber and Tees rivers, with his Harrying of the North. The Humber is a large tidal Estuary on the east coast of northern England The Tees is a river in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the Pennines, and flows eastwards for about 85 miles The Harrying (or Harrowing) of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror, in the winter of 1069 &ndash 1070 This devastation included setting fire to the vegetation, houses and even tools to work the fields. He also burnt crops, killed livestock and sowed the fields and land with salt, to stunt growth. After this cruel treatment the land did not recover for more than 100 years. The region ended up absolutely deprived, losing its traditional autonomy towards England. However it may have stopped future rebellions, scaring the English people in obedience. Then, the Danish king disembarked in person, readying his army to restart the war, but William suppressed such threat with a payment of gold. Subsequently in 1071, William defeated the last rebel focus of the north through an improvised pontoon, subduing the Ely island at which the Danes had gathered. The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right In 1072, he invaded Scotland, defeating Malcolm and gaining a temporary peace. In 1074, Edgar Ætheling submitted definitively to William.

In 1075, during William's absence, the Revolt of the Earls was confronted successfully by Odo. The Revolt of the Earls in 1075 was a rebellion of three earls against William I of England (William the Conqueror In 1080, William sent his half brothers Odo and Robert, who stormed Northumbria and Scotland, respectively. Eventually, the Pope protested against the excessive mistreatment which had been exerted by the Normans against the English people. Indeed, until overcoming all rebellions, William had conciliated with the English church although he persecuted it ferociously afterward.

Reign in England

Events

As was usual for his descendants also William spent much time (11 years, since 1072) at Normandy, ruling the islands through his writs. In Law, a writ is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial Jurisdiction. Nominally still a vassal state, owing its entire loyalty to the French king, Normandy arose suddenly as a powerful region, alarming the other French Dukes which reacted by attacking it persistently. As Duke of Normandy, William was obsessed with conquering Brittany, and the French King Philip I admonished him. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Philip I ( 23 May 1052 &ndash 29 July 1108) called the Amorous or the Fat, was King of France from 1060 Nonetheless, in 1086, William invaded Brittany, forcing the flight of the Duke Alan IV. Alan IV Fergant (died 13 October 1119) was Duke of Brittany, from 1084 until his abdication in 1112 A peace treaty was signed, and William betrothed Constance (who was poisoned a few years later) to Alan.

The mischief of William's elder son Robert arose after a prank of his brothers William and Henry, who doused him with filthy water. The situation became a large scale Norman rebellion. Only with King Philip's additional military support William was able to confront Robert, who had based at Flanders. Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. During the battle in 1079, William was unhorsed and wounded by Robert, who lowered his sword only after recognizing him. The embarrassed William returned to Rouen, abandoning the expedition. In 1080, Matilda reconciled both, and William revoked Robert's inheritance.

Odo caused many troubles to William, and he was imprisoned in 1082, losing his English estate and all royal functions, except the religious ones. In 1083, Matilda died, and William became more tyrannical over his realm.

Reforms

The signatures of William I and Matilda are the first two large crosses on the Accord of Winchester from 1072. The Accord of Winchester is the document that establishes the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York.

William initiated many major changes. He increased the function of the traditional English shires (autonomous administrative regions), which he brought under central control; he decreased the power of the earls by restricting them to one shire apiece. A shire is an Administrative division of Great Britain and Australia. Earl was the Anglo-Saxon form and jarl the Scandinavian form of a title meaning " Chieftain " and referring especially to chieftains All administrative functions of his government remained fixed at specific English towns, except the court itself; they would progressively strengthen, and the English institutions became amongst the most sophisticated in Europe. In 1085, in order to ascertain the extent of his new dominions and to improve taxation, William commissioned all his counselors for the compilation of the Domesday Book, which was published in 1086. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey The book was a survey of England's productive capacity similar to a modern census. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population

William also ordered many castles, keeps, and mottes, among them the Tower of London's foundation (the White Tower), which were built throughout England. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. A keep is a strong central Tower which is used as a dungeon or a fortress nA motte-and-bailey is a form of Castle. Many were built in Britain, Ireland and France in the 11th and 12th centuries favored as a relatively Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower) is a historic monument in central London The White Tower is a central tower at the Tower of London. The great central keep was started in 1078 by William the Conqueror who ordered the White These ensured effectively that the many rebellions by the English people or his own followers did not succeed.

His conquest also led to French (especially, but not only, the Norman French) replacing English as the language of the ruling classes for nearly 300 years. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. The northern Norman can be classified in the septentrional Oil languages with Picard and English is a West Germanic language which originated from the Anglo-Frisian Dialects brought to Britain by Germanic settlers ^[11][12] Furthermore, the original Anglo-Saxon cultural influence of England became mingled with the Norman one; thus the Anglo-Norman culture came into being. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the conquest by William of Normandy in 1066, although

William is said to have eliminated the native aristocracy in as little as four years. Systematically, he despoiled those English aristocrats who either opposed the Normans or who died without issue. Thus, most English estates and titles of nobility were handed to the Norman noblemen. Many English aristocrats fled to Flanders and Scotland; others may have been sold into slavery overseas. Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Some escaped to join the Byzantine Empire's Varangian Guard, and went on to fight the Normans in Sicily. The Varangians or Varyags ( Old Norse: Væringjar Greek: Βάραγγοι Βαριάγοι Váraggoi / Varyágoi, Ukrainian The Norman conquest of Southern Italy spanned most of the eleventh century involving many battles and many independent players conquering territories of their own By 1070, the indigenous nobility had ceased to be an integral part of the English landscape, and by 1086, it maintained control of just 8% of its original land-holdings. ^[13] However, to the new Norman noblemen, William handed the English parcels of land piecemeal, dispersing these wide. Thus nobody would try conspiring against him without jeopardizing their own estates within the so unstable England. Effectively, this strengthened William's political stand as a monarch.

William also seized and depopulated many miles of land (36 parishes), turning it into the royal New Forest region to support his enthusiastic enjoyment of hunting. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land heathland and Forest in the heavily-populated Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. ^[14]

Death, burial, and succession

In 1087 in France, William burned Mantes (50 km west of Paris), besieging the town. Mantes-la-Jolie (often informally called Mantes) is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city However, he fell off his horse, suffering fatal abdominal injuries by the saddle pommel. On his deathbed, William divided his succession for his sons, sparking strife between them. The Rebellion of 1088 occurred after the death of William the Conqueror and concerned the division of lands in the Kingdom of England and the Duchy of Normandy Despite William's reluctance, his combative elder son Robert received the Duchy of Normandy, as Robert II. William Rufus (his third son) was next English king, as William II. William II (c 1056 &ndash 2 August 1100) the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror was King of England from 1087 William's youngest son Henry received 5,000 silver pounds, which would be earmarked to buy land. Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency He also became King Henry I of England after William II died without issue. While on his deathbed, William pardoned many of his political adversaries, including Odo.

William died at age 59 at the Convent of St Gervais near Rouen, France, on 9 September 1087. Rouen (ʁwɑ̃ in French) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian William was buried in the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, which he had erected, in Caen, Normandy. Burial, also called interment and inhumation, is the act of placing a person or object into the ground The Abbaye aux Hommes ("Men's Abbey" is a former Abbey church in the French city of Caen. Caen (kɑ̃ is a commune in northwestern France. It is the Prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy.

According to some sources, a fire broke out during the funeral; the original owner of the land on which the church was built claimed he had not been paid yet, demanding 60 shillings, which William's son Henry had to pay on the spot; and, in a most unregal postmortem, William's corpulent body would not fit in the stone sarcophagus. The shilling is a unit of Currency used in current and former Commonwealth countries and was continued to be used in countries that left the commonwealth Obesity is a condition in which excess Body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected A sarcophagus is a Funeral receptacle for a Corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone

William's grave is currently marked by a marble slab with a Latin inscription; the slab dates from the early 19th century. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The grave was defiled twice, once during the French Wars of Religion, when his bones were scattered across the town of Caen, and again during the French Revolution. The French Wars of Religion (1562 to 1598 between French Catholics and Protestants ( Huguenots involved both civil infighting Caen (kɑ̃ is a commune in northwestern France. It is the Prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Following those events, only William's left femur remains in the tomb.

Legacy

William's invasion was the last time that England was successfully conquered by a foreign power. Although there would be a number of other attempts over the centuries, the best that could be achieved would be excursions by foreign troops, such as the Raid on the Medway during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, but no actual conquests such as William's. The Raid on the Medway, sometimes called the Battle of Medway or the Battle of Chatham, was a successful Dutch attack on the largest English The Second Anglo-Dutch War was fought between England and the United Provinces from 4 March, 1665 until 31 July, 1667.

As Duke of Normandy and King of England he passed the titles on to his descendants. The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during Other territories would be acquired by marriage or conquest and, at their height, these possessions would be known as the Angevin Empire. The term Angevin Empire describes a collection of states ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty

They included many lands in France, such as Normandy and Aquitaine, but the question of jurisdiction over these territories would be the cause of much conflict and bitter rivalry between England and France, which took up much of the Middle Ages, including the Hundred Years War and, some might argue, continued as far as the Battle of Waterloo of 1815. Aquitaine (Aquitània Akitania archaic Guyenne / Guienne (Occitan Guiana) is one of the 26 Regions of France, in the south-western part of The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium

Physical appearance

No authentic portrait of William has been found. Nonetheless, he was depicted as a man of fair stature with remarkably strong arms, "with which he could shoot a bow at full gallop". A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow William showed a magnificent appearance, possessing a fierce countenance. He enjoyed an excellent health; nevertheless his noticeable corpulence augmented eventually so much that French King Philip I commented that William looked like a pregnant woman. Obesity is a condition in which excess Body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Philip I ( 23 May 1052 &ndash 29 July 1108) called the Amorous or the Fat, was King of France from 1060 ^[15]

Ancestors

Descendants

Family tree

William is known to have had nine children, though Agatha, a tenth daughter who died a virgin, appears in some sources. Herleva (c 1003 - c 1050 also known as Arlette, Arletta, and Herlève, was the mother of William I of England. Several other unnamed daughters are also mentioned as being betrothed to notable figures of that time. Despite rumours to the contrary (such as claims that William Peverel was a bastard of William)^[16] there is no evidence that he had any illegitimate children,^[17]

1. Robert Curthose (1054–1134), Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano. William Peverel (c 1050-c 1115 also William de Peverel) was a Norman Knight said to have fought in the Battle of Hastings. Geoffrey the Elder (died after 1085) a nephew of Robert Guiscard through one of his sisters was the count of Conversano, Brindisi, and
2. Richard (c. Richard was born in 1054 in Normandy, France, the second legitimate son of William the Conqueror, King of England and Duke of Normandy. 1055 – c. 1081), Duke of Bernay, killed by a stag in New Forest. The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land heathland and Forest in the heavily-populated
3. Adeliza (or Alice) (c. 1055 – c. 1065), reportedly betrothed to Harold II of England. Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the
4. Cecilia (or Cecily) (c. Cecilia was thought to be the eldest daughter of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders, she was entered into the Abbey of Caen at a young age by her parents 1056 – 1126), Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen.
5. William "Rufus" (c. William II (c 1056 &ndash 2 August 1100) the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror was King of England from 1087 1056 – 1100), King of England.
6. Agatha (c. Agatha, mentioned by Ordericus Vitalis as one of the daughters of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders, Agatha who had been betrothed to Harold II 1064 – 1079), betrothed to Alfonso VI of Castile. Alfonso VI (before June 1040 &ndash June 29 / July 1, 1109) nicknamed the Brave, was King of León from 1065 to 1109 and King of
7. Constance (c. Constance Duchess of Brittany (died 1090 was a daughter of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders, it was said she was the most highly gifted of all of the 1066 – 1090), married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany; poisoned, possibly by her own servants. Alan IV Fergant (died 13 October 1119) was Duke of Brittany, from 1084 until his abdication in 1112
8. Adela (c. also Adelaide of Normandy sister of William I of England. Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of 1067 – 1137), married Stephen, Count of Blois. Stephen II Henry (c 1045 &ndash 19 May 1102) (in French, Étienne Henri) Count of Blois and Count of Chartres,
9. Henry "Beauclerc" (1068–1135), King of England, married Edith of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III, King of the Scots. Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Matilda of Scotland (born Edith c 1080 – 1 May 1118) was the first wife and Queen consort of Henry I. Máel Coluim mac Donnchada ( Modern Gaelic: Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh) called in most Anglicised regnal lists Malcolm III, and in later centuries His second wife was Adeliza of Leuven. Adeliza of Leuven (also called Adela and Aleidis 1103 – 23 April 1151 was Queen consort of the Kingdom of England from 1121 to 1135 the second wife of Henry

Fictional depictions

William I has appeared as a character in only a few stage and screen productions. The one-act play A Choice of Kings by John Mortimer deals with his deception of Harold after the latter's shipwreck. Sir John Clifford Mortimer, CBE QC (born 21 April 1923) is an English Barrister, Dramatist and author Julian Glover portrayed him in a 1966 TV adaptation of this play in the ITV Play of the Week series. Julian Wyatt Glover (born March 27 1935) is an English Actor. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent

William has also been portrayed on screen by Thayer Roberts in the film Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955), John Carson in the BBC TV series Hereward the Wake (1965), and Michael Gambon in the TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990). John Carson (born 28 February, 1927) is a British actor noted for his appearances in film and television

On a less serious note, he has been portrayed by David Lodge in an episode of the TV comedy series Carry On Laughing entitled "One in the Eye for Harold" (1975), James Fleet in the humorous BBC show The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything (1999), and Gavin Abbott in an episode of the British educational TV series Historyonics entitled "1066" (2004). David Lodge is the name of David Lodge (actor (1921–2003 a British character actor David Lodge (voice actor Carry on Laughing was a television sitcom produced for ATV which featured several stars of the famous Carry On comedy film series James Fleet (born 1954 is a British actor He is most famous for his roles as the bumbling and well-meaning Tom in the 1994 British Romantic comedy film

References

Further reading

• Bates, David (1989) William the Conqueror, London : George Philip, 198 p. Professor David Bates (born 1945 is a British Historian. He was Professor of Medieval History at University of Glasgow from 1994 ISBN 978-0-7524-1980-0
• Douglas, David C. (1999) William the Conqueror; the Norman impact upon England, Yale English monarchs series, London : Yale University Press, 476 p. , ISBN 0-300-07884-6
• Howarth, David (1977) 1066 The Year of the Conquest, London : Collins, 207 p. David Howarth (1912 &ndash 1991 was a British historian and author , ISBN 0-00-211845-9
• Prescott, Hilda F.M. (1932) Son of Dust, reprinted 1978: London : White Lion, 288 p. Hilda Francis Margaret Prescott, more usually known as H F M Prescott ( 22 February 1896 &ndash 1972 was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature ISBN 0-85617-239-1
• Savage, Anne (transl. Anne or Ann Savage may refer to Ann Savage (actress Anne Savage (artist Anne Savage (DJ & coll. ) (2002) The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, London : Greenwich Editions, 288 p. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. , ISBN 0-86288-440-3

External links

• William I of England at Genealogics
• William the Conqueror, by E. A. Freeman at Project Gutenberg
• Illustrated biography of William the Conqueror
• William I of England at Find a Grave
• History House: William the Conqueror
• Jacob Abbott, William the Conqueror Baldwin Project reprint, written originally in 1849 for younger readers, but contains useful information about the life of William I and the Norman Conquest.

{{Persondata |NAME= England, William I of |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION= |DATE OF BIRTH=1024–[[1028 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Falaise, France |DATE OF DEATH=9 September 1087 |PLACE OF DEATH= Convent of St. Falaise is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in Normandy, northwestern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Gervais, Rouen }}