William the Conqueror Biography

William the Conqueror was born William I around 1028, in Falaise, Duchy of Normandy, to Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and his mistress Herleva. Hence, he was an illegitimate child.

In 1035, before leaving for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Robert declared William as his heir to the throne of Normandy. On his way back, Robert died abruptly and William, aged eight, inherited the dukedom.

The early years of William’s reign were afflicted with violence and corruption as the barons constantly rebelled and conspired to gain control of the kingdom. However, with good fortune and some help from Robert’s loyal men, William survived. He grew up to become a dominating ruler with an aversion towards lawlessness.

By 1042, William was knighted. From 1046 to 1055, he dealt with a series of baronial rebellions. He returned to Normandy and asserted his authority, defeating the insurgents after which he began to restore order in his dukedom.

Meanwhile, the King of England Edward the Confessor, who had no heir to his throne, promised William succession to the English throne. Edward the Confessor was a distant relative of William.

However, upon Edward’s death in 1066, his brother-in-law Harold Godwin claimed the throne of England for himself despite having made an oath earlier to support William in his claim. As a consequence of this betrayal, William decided to invade England and enforce his claim.

William assembled his troops, but due to bad weather their plan of attack was delayed for several weeks. Meanwhile, Harold’s exiled brother Tostig joined hands with the king of Norway and together they invaded England from the North Sea.

Harold, who was preparing for William's invasion from the south, quickly moved his army northwards to defend England from Norway. Although Tostig and his allies were ultimately defeated in the battle, their sudden attack proved to be beneficial for William.

After defeating the Norwegians, Harold’s troops marched back down to fight William’s army. In October 1066, Harold’s troops and William’s army met in the ‘Battle of Hastings.’ King Harold, along with his two brothers, was killed in the battle and William's army emerged victorious.

On Christmas Day, 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned the king of England in Westminster Abbey. Upon ascending the throne, William introduced the Norman practice of building castles in England, including the Tower of London.

During the next few years, there occurred several rebellions under his reign, which William cleverly manipulated to confiscate English land. Subsequently, he declared the confiscated land as his personal property, later giving it to Norman barons.

William’s conquest played a significant role in shaping the history of England by transforming its language and literature as well as art and architecture. Due to his policies and efforts, Britain emerged as the most powerful nation in Europe.

During the last 15 years of his life, William mostly remained in Normandy, retaining many of the greatest Anglo-Norman barons with him. He effectively confided the English government to his loyal bishops.

After seizing the English throne, William retained most of the country’s institutions and was eager to learn about his new territory. He ordered a detailed and economic survey of the population and property of England, the results of which are compiled as two volumes of ‘The Domesday Book.’ Viewed as one of the greatest administrative accomplishments of the Middle Ages, the book currently rests in the ‘Public Record Office’ in London.

William the Conqueror was married to Matilda of Flanders, the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders. The couple had four sons and five or six daughters.

William died on September 9, 1087, in Priory of Saint Gervase, Rouen, Normandy, after sustaining injuries in a horse riding accident. His mortal remains were buried in the monastery of Saint-Étienne de Caen, France.

William’s son Robert Curthose succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 1087. His third son William II was crowned the king of England on September 26, 1087. His fourth son Henry I received money upon his father's death. He later became the king of England and reigned from 1100 until his death in 1135.

William the Conqueror was known for his love of hunting and spent a significant amount of time pursuing game in the forests of Normandy and England.

Despite being a fierce warrior, William enjoyed music and was said to have a great appreciation for the arts, particularly singing.

William was known for his strategic mind and innovative military tactics, which helped him secure victory in the Battle of Hastings and ultimately conquer England.

He was a devout Christian and made significant contributions to the construction and restoration of churches and religious buildings throughout his reign.

William the Conqueror was multilingual and could speak both Norman French and Latin in addition to his native language of Old French.