Biography of William the Conqueror
Duke William of
Normandy also known as William the Bastard. He was born in
Falaise in 1028 - his parents were unmarried. His father
was Robert I, the sixth Duke of Normandy. His mother was
called Herleva who was the humble daughter of a Tanner called
Fulbert. William's parents also had a daughter called
Adelaide. Duke Robert died in 1035 and William became Duke of
Normandy at the age of just seven years old. William's mother
later married the Viscount of Conteville and produced a
half-sister to William called Muriel and two half-brothers -
Robert and Odo (Odo later became the Bishop of Bayeux who
commissioned the famous Bayeux tapestry). In 1052 William married Matilda of Flanders.
Edward the
Confessor, the King of England, took refuge in Normandy
after the Danes conquered England, he stayed at the palace of
William. He was very kindly treated there, and William said
that in 1051 Edward had promised in gratitude that William should
succeed him as king of England.
Edward the
Confessor returned to England and took with him Norman friends
and advisors. The English nobles led by Harold Godwinson were
furious at having so many French at court and Edward was
forced to expel them. Harold Godwinson later married Edith the
sister of Edward the Confessor.
In 1065 Duke
William meets with Harold Godwinson and is believed to have
pledged a sacred oath of allegiance to the Duke.
Edward the
Confessor dies and Harold, the son of Earl Godwin, claims the
English throne and is crowned the King of England. Duke
William immediately stakes his claim on the English throne and
receives support from many of the French nobles. Duke William
appeals to the Pope to support his cause. The Pope agrees and
sanctions a Holy War, or Crusade, against the English.
Duke William
gathers an army and a fleet of ships. Many mercenaries flock
to his cause. The fleet lands on the South coast of England at
Pevensey on 28th September 1066. There are no English to meet
him - not one soldier! William erects one of three pre-built
castle he has brought with him at Pevensey and marches on to
Hastings.
Meanwhile King
Harold has fought off a Viking invasion led by King Hardrada
in the North of England. William and his army were waiting for
the Normans at the South coast when they received news of the
Vikings. Harold and his men had to make a force march to York,
win a bloody battle with the Vikings on 25th September and
then make another forced march back to Southern England to
meet Duke William on October 14th.
The two armies met
at Senlac (later re-named Battle). William, clad in complete
armor, was in the very front of the fight, urging on his
troops. At one time a cry arose in his army that he was slain
and a panic began. William drew off his helmet and rode along
the lines, shouting, "I live! I live! Fight on! We shall
conquer yet!".
It was a hard
fought fight and King Harold and his brothers were killed.
Duke William was victorious and was crowned King of England in
Westminster Abbey on 25th December 1066.
Normans are
rewarded with English land. There are various rebellions
against William and the Norman Conquest in both Normandy and
England and he has to travel between both countries to keep
order. His half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux,
is made
Earl of Kent and becomes William's Deputy in England and under
his instructions the magnificent Bayeux tapestry is completed
illustrating the Norman Invasion.
The English
rebellions against the Norman Conquest are first led in 1067
by King Harold's mother Gytha but her forces are defeated. In
1068 King William exacts a terrible punishment on rebels in
the North of England referred to as 'The Harrying of the
North'- William orders that all land is laid to waste and
thousands of men, women and children are starved to death. The
final major rebellion against William the Conqueror and the
Norman Conquest
is led by Hereward the Wake with
Harold's brother the Earl Morcar against the Normans at
Peterborough - once again the rebels are defeated and the
Norman Conquest is finally complete.
William the Conqueror
instituted his strategy for medieval warfare of building
castles and went on to build many castles in England including
his most famous, the Tower of London.
William the Conqueror also left
another legacy - The Doomsday Book which was begun in 1086 and
contained detailed records of 13,418 settlements in England.
The Doomsday Book, which still survives, provides an insight
into the medieval life and times of this era.
William the Conqueror
died in 1087 at Saint-Gervais near Rouen in France.
William the Conqueror
Timeline
1028 - William was born in Falaise, Normandy, an
illegitimate son of Robert I
1035 - Duke Robert I (William's father) dies in Bithynia
1035 - William becomes Duke William II of Normandy at
the aged of 7 years
old
1051 - Edward the Confessor gives a pledge to William that he
will be made his
successor to the
throne of England
1052 - William marries Matilda of Flanders
1052 - Edward the Confessor is forced to expel Normans from
his court due to
pressure brought to
bear by Harold Godwinson
1065 - William meets
Harold Godwinson - Harold pledges allegiance to William
1066 - William obtains support from the Pope for his
invasion of England and
the right to
the English throne
1066 - 28th September - William lands at Pevensey
1066 - 29th September - William captures Hastings
1066 - 14th October - William is victorious at the Battle of
Hastings
1066 - 25th December - Duke William is crowned King of England
1067 - January - Duke William is crowned King of England in
Westminster
Abbey in
London
1067 - March - William the Conqueror starts constructing
castles in England
Norwich
Castle, Wallingford Castle and Chepstow Castle
1067 - March - William returns to Normandy until
December 1067
1067 - Autumn - Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux is made Earl of Kent
and becomes
William's Deputy in
England
1067 - December - William returns to England
1067 - February - Rebellion against the Normans! The English,
led by Harold's
mother Gytha,
resist the Normans at Exeter but are defeated by the
Normans
1067 - Spring - King William starts construction of Exeter
Castle and the
Tower of London
1068 - May 11th - King William's wife, Matilda, is crowned
Queen of England
1068 - Rebellion! The "Harrying of the North"
1070 - Rebellion against the Normans! Hereward the Wake leads
the English
with Harold's
brother the Earl Morcar against the Normans at
Peterborough but is
defeated
1070 - The Norman Conquest is complete
1086 - The Doomsday Book
1087 - 9th September - William the Conqueror dies at
Saint-Gervais near
Rouen, France
William the
Conqueror Timeline
Read the
fascinating Biographies surrounding the Battle of Hastings:
Biography of
Edward the Confessor
Biography of King Harold
II Godwinson
The Duke William
the Bastard of Normandy claim
|
