William the Conqueror

Monarch of England, 1066 – 1087.

William the Conqueror, William the Bastard, William the Founder of the Anglo–Norman monarchy. Illegitimate son of Robert, Duke, rather Count of Normandy, who was the second son of the great-grandson of the legendary founder of the dukedom of counter ship – Hrolf, Rolf, Rollo. William received the Duchy of Normandy upon his father's death in 1035, when Normandy was at war with France (Herbert of Vermandois and Hugh of Paris, and with Rudolf of Burgundy, the king of the West Franks).

A council consisting of noblemen and William's guardians ruled Normandy but ducal authority waned under the Normans' violent nature and the province was wracked with assassination and revolt for twelve years. In 1047, William sustained his position in the eastern Norman regions and, with the help of France's King Henry I, defeated the barons. He spent the next several years strengthening his power on the continent through marriage, diplomacy, war and savage intimidation.

By 1066, Normandy was in a position of virtual independence from William's feudal lord, Henry I of France and the disputed succession in England offered William an opportunity for invasion. Edward the Confessor tried to get the Norman’s support while fighting with his father-in-law, Earl Godwin, and promised the throne to William in 1051. Before Edward died in 1066, he agreed with Godwin on Godwin’s son Harold, as heir to the crown - after the recent Danish kings, the members of the council were anxious to keep the monarchy in Anglo-Saxon hands. William was enraged to invade, insisting that Harold had promised it already to him. Harold, tried to strengthen his kingship and started the battle against William and the Normans on October 14, 1066 at Hastings.

William's only aim was to bring all Brittany under Norman control and to incorporate a large part of the country within the Duchy. He became the conqueror of the Bretons, ruled as a French and Christian Prince, aiming an influence in French affairs, which made him being hated by the people for the first time. Throughout his reign he was subject to strong religious impulses. William's attitude was the same towards the state and the church. The church served him well and he needed the support in order to strengthen his power, for what he rewarded it richly. In any cases William sought for wise counsellors and agents of his policy, but never allowed anyone to interfere in his personal and political affairs, actions and will. The most dangerous competitor he ever had was the strong and crafty son of Godwin, yet the battle of Hastings 1066 was but the peak of a series of intellectual defeats which he had inflected on the greatest of the Saxons. William's actions were personal in their character and gave his actions an aspect of legal and social authority. By disenfranchising Anglo-Saxon landowners, he instituted a brand of feudalism in England that strengthened the monarchy. He was a founder, for he laid the foundation and shaped the general outline of the subsequent social and political life of England. William was one of the greatest kings England ever had, a very wise and powerful man, more dignified than any of his predecessors. He loved everyone who loved and served God. He raised monasteries and reigned over England for almost 22 years.

Freeman, Edward Augustus: The History of the Norman Conquest of England, its causes and its results. Volume 1., Oxford; at the Clarendon Press, [year??].

Langton Sansford, J.: Estimates of the English Kings, London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1872.

Sir Palgrave, Francis, K. H.: The History of Normandy and of England. Volume 3., London: Macmillan, 1864.

http://www.peoples.ru/state/king/england/william_conqueror/