17 Curious William, Duke Of Normandy Facts That Will Amaze You

William was born in Falaise in the Duchy of Normandy in the year 1028.

His father was the profound Robert I the Duke of Normandy, while his mother was a local tanner's daughter. William was an illegitimate child because his parents were not married.

Even though he was an illegitimate child, William grew up to become the future Duke of Normandy. Robert I, decided to take William on a trip to Jerusalem when William was seven years old.

Because William was his only son, Duke Robert gathered his nobles and had them pledge that if he died, William would be his heir. William was named Duke of Normandy after Robert died on his way back from Jerusalem.

William's military achievements and reputation aided him in securing Mathilda, as his wife. William was known for his skilled and ruthless military leadership, as a ruler, and an avid administrator when he invaded England. He had consolidated Normandy and generated terror and respect outside his area of rule. William married Matilda from the region of Flanders around 1050.

This was a political union that connected William with the powerful Flanders duchy. William and Matilda had five daughters and four sons. William was crowned king in Westminster Abbey.

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The Life History Of William I

In 1035, young William was declared Duke of Normandy. William the Conqueror became Duke of Normandy when he was seven years old. Many people questioned his authority to rule as Duke because he was just seven years old and an illegitimate child.

Several attempts on William's life occurred during the next few years. For a period, William was cared for by his great-uncle, Archbishop Robert.

Following the archbishop's death, King Henry I of France's support allowed William to retain his title. When William was roughly twenty years old, he was on the verge of losing the title to his cousin, Guy of Burgundy. Guy had enlisted the help of other nobles and assembled an army to defeat William.

In 1047, at the Battle of Val-es-Dunes, William met Guy. He beat Guy there and began to consolidate his power in Normandy. William would establish authority throughout Normandy over the next few years. He put down an insurrection led by Geoffrey Martel (who would later become an ally) and had Normandy under his rule by 1060.

From 1047 onwards, William effectively dealt with internal Normandy rebellions involving his relatives and threats from neighboring nobility, including attempted invasions by his erstwhile friend King Henry I of France in 1054. However, the French forces were destroyed in the Battle of Mortimer, by William. There was another attempt in 1057.

However, consolidating his conquest of England had William invest six years of his life, and still, he had to contend with the constant threat from all over England. Harold's illicit heirs raided England's southwest coast in 1068.

William spent the first few years of his rule putting down rebellions. William became so enraged by the uprisings in Northern England that he ordered the destruction of much of the countryside. His men set fire to fields throughout the area, destroyed food, and slaughtered livestock.

The 'Harrying of the North' resulted from this act, killing at least 100,000 people. By exacting military obligations in exchange for land tenancy granted to Norman, French, and Flemish allies, William recruited and retained an army by confiscating property from English aristocrats and their successors.

He made as many as 180 'honors' (lands dispersed across shires with a palace reigning the region) in exchange for knights as many as 5,000 people to suppress resistance and pursue crusades.

A sect of the King's followers had amassed wealth equalling half of the national average by the end of William's reign. As the new ruling elite, foreign nobility had been installed.

William occupied the final months of his reign in Normandy, launching an attack against King Philip to acquire outlying Normandy territory in the French Vexin area.

William partitioned his 'Anglo-Norman' empire between his sons before his death on September 9, 1087. The stage had been set for centuries of costly sacrifices by subsequent English monarchs to retain their inherited French domains.

Despite their terrible disputes (Robert befriended his father's rivals in Normandy and had wounded and beaten his father in a fight there in 1079), King William gave Normandy as he had promised to his eldest son Robert.

William Rufus, his son, was to follow William as King of England, and Henry, his third son, was not given any title but left with 5,000 pounds in silver.

In 1087, William died in Northern France while conducting a fight. His eldest son Robert became Duke of Normandy, and William, his second son, had become King of England. King William was buried at the St Stephen abbey foundation in Caen. He has not lost a battle in his life.

The grave of England's first Norman king is commemorated by a modest stone plaque defiled by Huguenots (1562) and Revolutionaries (1793). Since William, every English monarch has been considered a descendent of the Norman-born King, including Queen Elizabeth II.

What is William of Normandy known for?

After King William beat the English at the Battle of Hastings and became the King of England, he was known as William the Conqueror. Throughout his life, he was known by a variety of names. When he became Duke of Normandy, his formal name was William II, but he was also remembered as 'William the Great'.

The Role Of William I In The British Monarchy

When he conquered England in 1066, William the Conqueror, England's first Norman king, changed the direction of the country's history. To take control of England, William enlisted the help of men from Normandy, France, and even other European countries.

In return for their assistance, he offered them land in England. He rode into combat on the back of a black steed.

William swore to respect current laws and customs at his crowning. The Normans conquered England and brought much of their culture with them. Fortresses were among the most essential. William erected hundreds of fortresses across the kingdom to demonstrate his dominance, the majority of which are still standing today.

The White Tower in London became a symbol of the King's power. The White Tower, which stood on the banks of the Thames, was the perfect Norman structure, with lofty walls made of Caen stone. Today, the White Tower is more often known as the Tower of London, and it remains an emblem of royal power.

William had little knowledge of English when he ascended the throne, and despite his best efforts, he was unable to master it. He was also illiterate, as were most nobles at the time.

The Norman-French dialects were spoken in England's courts for centuries due to the Norman conquest, and it profoundly changed the English language by infusing it with new terms.

To enhance royal decree, William entrusted sheriffs (formerly modest landowners who powerful nobles had superseded) with overseeing the department of justice in the county courts. The King kept the peace and order. 'He was a very stern and violent man, so no one dared do anything contrary to his will,' according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of 1087.

William the Conqueror's policies, which ruled England from 1066 until he died in 1087, may have played a significant role in making Britain the most powerful nation in Europe.

Why did William Duke of Normandy conquer England?

William's argument to claim the English throne was based on his claim that Edward the Confessor promised him the crown in 1051. William was connected to the King through Edward's uncle, Richard II.

King Harold II, who swore in 1064 to defend William's right to the throne, and was thus a usurper. There were, however, other persons who claimed the English throne.

Harold Godwinson, England's greatest prominent lord, was one of the contenders for the throne. In 1051, the childless King Edward was said to have written to William, offering him the English throne when he departed. Edward had deceived William.

The King of England later nominated earl Harold Godwinson as his heir on his deathbed in January 1066. That initiated the events that would make William famous generations later.

The betrayal enraged William, who planned to invade England and establish his claim. The people of England craved for Harold to be the King, and on January 6, 1066, the day after King Edward died, he was inducted as King Harold II. King Hardrada of Norway was another claimant to the English monarchy.

The Witan, an English lords' council that frequently participated in succession decisions, supported Harold. When Norway's King Hardrada attacked England, and King Harold II went to fight him, William also received Emperor Henry IV's support and ecclesiastical authority.

William took seven months to organize his invading force, utilizing 600 transport ships to bring about 7,000 men across the Channel (including 2,000-3,000 cavalry).

With a favorable wind for invading England, William landed uncontested at Pevensey on September 28, 1066, and erected fortifications at Hastings within a few days.

After defeating a previous invasion by the King of Norway at the Battle of Stamford Bridge near York in late September, King Harold was compelled to march south, traveling 250 mi (402.33 km) in nine days to meet the new threat, recruiting untested reinforcements to refill his depleted troops.

When Norway's King Hardrada invaded England, and King Harold II went to fight him, William recognized an opportunity. He assembled an army and marched across the English Channel, setting up camp near Hastings. The Battle of Hastings took place in 1066. After defeating the Norwegian invasion, King Harold II moved south to face William.

William, on the other hand, was prepared for the fight. William had brought archers and knights, who were heavily armored cavalry.

King Harold put a lot of pressure on his men to face William. They marched for over a week at an average of 26.72 mi (43 km) per day to close the gap and meet William in Hastings.

The first fatality of the Battle of Hastings was his jester. Harold's foot soldiers were no match for William's forces, and William won the fight with an arrow killing King Harold II.

The available sources are much more ambiguous regarding what happened in the afternoon, but it appears that Harold's death, about which different versions are told, was the pivotal event. Harold was allegedly murdered by the Duke of Jumièges, according to William of Jumièges.

According to legend, Harold was killed by an arrow to the eye as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry.

On December 25, 1066, William was proclaimed King of England, which was Christmas day. The English screamed their delight when William was crowned King. Unfortunately, William's soldiers mistook it for an attack outside the abbey. They started setting fire against the new king's adjacent structures. William resumed his march across England, eventually taking London.

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