King William I The Conqueror

1028 – 1087 · Generation VIII · King of England (r. 1066–1087), Duke of Normandy · House of Normandy

William I the Conqueror (1028–1087). King of England (r. 1066–1087), Duke of Normandy. Married Matilda of Flanders in 1051. Took the crown at Hastings in 1066 and remade England’s ruling class; the Domesday survey was his audit of the prize. Born out of wedlock to Duke Robert I of Normandy and his mistress Herleva — some called him “the Bastard” — he succeeded to the duchy young and survived years of aristocratic anarchy, quashing a rebellion in 1047 and completing his grip on Normandy only around 1060, with Maine secured by 1062. His claim to England rested on a promise he said Edward the Confessor had made him, and on an oath sworn by Harold. Crowned in London on Christmas Day 1066, he spent years suppressing English revolts, then passed most of his reign on the continent, troubled by threatened Danish invasions and by his rebellious eldest son Robert Curthose. He died on campaign in northern France and was buried at Caen, leaving Normandy to Robert and England to his second surviving son, William Rufus.

One of 7 people of House of Normandy (until 1154) in this archive. The conqueror’s house — William I took the English crown in 1066 and his sons held it after him.

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Partners

• Married Matilda of Flanders (1031 – 1083) in 1051 — 3 children together

Children

• King William II Rufus (1056 – 1100)
• Adela of Normandy (1067 – 1137)
• King Henry I (1068 – 1135)

Life

• 1028 — Born
• 1051 — Married Matilda of Flanders
• 1066 — William and his Norman army defeat Harold II and the Anglo Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. Harold is killed and, after subduing the south of the country William is crowned King of England.
• 1067 — William suppresses a Saxon revolt in the southwest of England. William's Earls are given lands driving out the Anglo Saxon lords. Norman French becomes the language of government.
• 1068 — William puts down a revolt in the northern counties led by Edwin and Morcar and establishes fortifications. The region is laid waste in an action known as 'Harrying the North'.
• 1069 — Swen Estrithson of Denmark lands in the Humber and is welcomed by northern English earls who join him in expelling the Norman garrison at York. William marches north and reoccupies York
• 1071 — William defeats the revolt led by Hereward the Wake in East Anglia, thus putting an end to Saxon resistance to his rule.
• 1072 — William invades Scotland and compels Malcolm III to pay homage to him.
• 1079 — William begins the construction of a Norman Cathedral at Winchester.
• 1079 — Robert, William’s eldest son, leads a rebellion in Normandy, but is defeated by his father at the Battle of Gerberoi and his life is spared.
• 1085 — William orders a survey of the shires of England; the information is recorded in the Domesday Book, which is completed the following year.
• 1086 — William writes to the Pope that England owes no allegiance to the Church of Rome
• 1087 — Died
• 1087 — William dies of his injuries after falling from his horse while besieging the French city of Mantes.