William of normandy facts 1066
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William I of England, better known as William the Conqueror, overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the most influential kings in British history. Here are 10 facts about the man and his rise to power.
1. He was also known as William the Bastard
Not, as we might imagine today, in a nod to his nasty behaviour, but because he was born in 1028 to unmarried parents — Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and his mistress, Herleva. This fact led to him being taunted as a child.
2. William’s childhood was marred by violence
William was surrounded by violence from a young age.
After his father died, William inherited the duchy but Normandy was soon plunged into civil war with the region’s aristocrats battling each other for — among other things — control of the young duke. One rebel even cut the throat of William’s steward as he slept in the duke’s bedchamber.
3. He gained a reputation for brutality
After defeating a rebellion in Normandy led by his cousin, William lay the foundati
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Though he spoke a dialect of French and grew up in Normandy, a fiefdom loyal to the French kingdom, William and other Normans descended from Scandinavian invaders. William’s great-great-great-grandfather, Rollo, pillaged northern France with fellow Viking raiders in the late ninth and early 10th centuries, eventually accepting his own territory (Normandy, named for the Norsemen who controlled it) in exchange for peace.
2. He had reason to hate his original name.
The product of an affair between Robert inom, duke of Normandy, and a woman called Herleva, William was likely known to his contemporaries as William the Bastard for much of his life. His critics continued to use this moniker (albeit behind his back) even after he defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings and earned an upgrade to William the Conqueror.
3. His future bride wanted nothing to do with him at first.
When William asked for the grabb of Matilda of Flanders, a granddaughter of France’s King Robert II, she demur
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William the Conqueror
King of England (1066–1087), Duke of Normandy (1035–1087)
For other uses, see William the Conqueror (disambiguation).
| William the Conqueror | |
|---|---|
William is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry during the Battle of Hastings, lifting his helmet to show that he is still alive. | |
| Reign | 25 December 1066 – 9 September 1087 |
| Coronation | 25 December 1066 |
| Predecessor | |
| Successor | William II |
| Reign | 3 July 1035 – 9 September 1087 |
| Predecessor | Robert I |
| Successor | Robert II |
| Born | c. 1028[1] Falaise, Duchy of Normandy |
| Died | 9 September 1087 (aged about 59) Priory of Saint Gervase, Rouen, Duchy of Normandy |
| Burial | Saint-Étienne de Caen, Normandy |
| Spouse | Matilda of Flanders(m. 1051/2; d. 1083) |
| Issue Detail | |
| House | Normandy |
| Father | Robert the Magnificent |
| Mother | Herleva of Falaise |
William the Conqueror[a] (c. 1028[1] – 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the