Although many think of William the Bastard as a French invader who

took the English crown by shooting Harold Godwinson in the Eye with

an arrow, he was actually married to Matilda of Flanders who was the

Great Great Great Great Great Granddaughter of Alfred the Great and

his son Henry I married Matilda of Scotland who was the Daughter of

Malcolm III, the King of Scotland when William invaded England.

Malcolm’s father King Duncan I was killed by Macbeth in 1040 William’s Grandaunt Emma of Normandy was also married to King Æthelred the Unready. William’s Great Great Great Grandfather was Rollo ‘the Walker” - a Viking from Scandinavia. So despite being on holiday from Normandy William did have some claim to take over the throne as King Edward the confessor died childless with the throne being handed over to his brother in law King Harold II

Background

• Birth name: William of Normandy • Also known as: William I of England, William the Bastard (due to his illegitimate birth) • Born: c. 1028 in Falaise, Normandy (now in France) • Father: Robert I, Duke of Normandy • Mother: Herleva, a tanner’s daughter • Title before conquest: Duke of Normandy (from age 7)

The Norman Conquest

The Claim to the English Throne

• In 1066, King Edward the Confessor died childless. • William claimed that Edward had promised him the throne and that Harold Godwinson had sworn to support his claim. • But Harold became king, leading William to invade.

Battle of Hastings – 14 October 1066

• William invaded England with around 7,000 troops. • Defeated Harold Godwinson’s army near Hastings. • Harold was killed in the battle - famously (though debatably) by an arrow to the eye. • William was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066.

Rule as King of England

Feudalism and Control

• Introduced Norman feudalism to England. • Took control of land and redistributed it to loyal Norman barons, displacing much of the Anglo-Saxon elite.

The Domesday Book (1086)

• A massive survey of land, property and population across England. • Purpose: tax assessment and legal control. • Still one of the most important historical records of medieval England.

Castles and Fortifications

Built castles across England to maintain control: • Tower of London • Warwick Castle • Windsor Castle These were symbols of power and military dominance.

Language and Culture

• Norman French became the language of the court and law. • Blended over time with Old English to evolve into Middle English. • Profoundly changed English culture, law and governance.

Death and Legacy

• Died in 1087 in Rouen, Normandy, from injuries after falling off his horse. • Buried at Abbaye aux Hommes, Caen, France. • Left Normandy to his eldest son Robert and England to his second son William II (William Rufus).

Legacy

• Ended Anglo-Saxon rule in England. • Cemented ties between England and continental Europe. • Laid foundations for a centralised monarchy and common law. • Seen as both a ruthless invader and a founder of modern England.