Презентация на тему William the Conqueror

succession

September 1087 in Rouen

Duke of Normandy from 1035 to

1087 (William II)
King of England from 1066 to 1087 (William I)
Known as William the Conqueror, William the Bastard

was described as a man of fair stature, with

very strong arms but with he was quite fat

His enemies commented,that he stinked like a tanner shop (occupation of his mother’s family)

Wax figure of William the Conqueror in Madame Tussaud's, London.

of Robert II, duke of Normandy

His mother was

Herleva, daughter of Fulbert, most likely a local tanner

Tannery workers

of Normandy at the age of seven in 1035

The

Norman noblemen were trying to take his place, and three of William’s guardians were killed

In 1047, he defeated rebelling Norman
barons in the battle of Val-ès-Dunes and
united the Normandy
1053, he married his cousin Mathilda
(4 sons and 6 daughters)

Edward the Confessor,there were three men, who wanted England:
Harold

Godwinson – earl of Wessex, by the last will of Edward, he was crowned in January 1066
William II – duke of Normandy, he thought he is the rightful king of England (Edward was cousin of his father), Harold promised him the throne in 1064
Harald III – Viking king of Norway
Harold raised the army immediately after he took power and was awaiting the attack

new army (Normans, French mercenaries, many foreign knights)
The army

(600 ships and 7000 men) was waiting, the English channel was well-guarded by Harold
September 8, Harold withdrew his army, because of falling morale and supplies
September 25 – slaughterous battle of Stamford Bridge (Harold defeated Harald III with Tostig Godwinson)
September 28 – William landed in England and moved to Hastings

lasted all day
William defeated the English army (Harold was

shot by an arrow into his eye and died)


March to London
The english council Witan refused to surrender (Edgar Etheling), William marched to London, plundering the cities in his way
On December 25, Etheling escaped and William was crowned in Westminster Abbey

to the Normans, but in the North the resistance

continued until 1072
The worst crisis came in 1068, Northumbria and Mercia,led by Etheling, revolted and the Scots and the Danes joined them
The rebels besieged and captured York and the rebellion was spreading in whole England

the new waves of revolts in the West and

moved to North
He defeated Etheling, but he was very angry,so he decided to devastate Northumbria completely
Burning houses, killing English men and animals
Northumbria never rebelled again

complete english land register)
Many castles and keeps (helped with

revolts) throughout England, foundation of Tower of London
The French replaced English for nearly 300 years
He eliminated the English aristocracy in 4 years

Domesday book

1087, he fell from a horse and cut his

colon
After a few weeks , he died at the convent of St.Gervaise
Before his death, he divided his succession between his 3 sons:
Robert III – the oldest son got Normandy
William II – England
Henry I – he received 5000 silver pounds, after William’s death he became the English king

William was burried in Caen, but his grave was defiled twice (French wars of religion, the French Revolution)
Nowadays, only his left femur remains in the tomb