Harold II crowned king of England - Jan 06, 1066 - HISTORY.com Harold II crowned king of England Share this: Harold II crowned king of England Author Harold II crowned king of England URL Publisher A+E Networks Following the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwineson, head of the most powerful noble family in England, is crowned King Harold II. On his deathbed, Edward supposedly designated Harold the royal heir, but this claim was disputed by William, duke of Normandy and cousin of the late king. In addition, King Harald III Hardraade of Norway had designs on England, as did Tostig, brother of Harold. King Harold rallied his forces for an expected invasion by William, but Tostig launched a series of raids instead, forcing the king to leave the English Channel unprotected. In September, Tostig joined forces with King Harald III and invaded England from Scotland. On September 25, Harold met them at Stamford Bridge and defeated and killed them both. Three days later, William landed in England at Pevensey. On October 14, 1066, Harold met William at the Battle of Hastings, and the king was killed and his forces defeated.

According to legend, he was shot through the eye with an arrow. On Christmas Day, William the Conqueror was crowned the first Norman king of England. Related Videos William the Conqueror crowned King of England - 1066 - mytimemachine.co.uk admin William the Conqueror was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066. Orderic Vitalis wrote the nearest we have to a contemporary account of the day’s disastrous events. On Christmas Day 1066, William, Duke of Normandy , became the third man in that eventful year to wear the English crown. His coronation took place at Westminster Abbey, but ended in chaos when Norman troops mistook a cry of acclamation for a rebellion. This account was given by Orderic Vitalis (1075-1142), the Anglo-French chronicler of Norman England. Although Orderic was obviously not present at the coronation his version of the story is usually the most trusted by historians.

William the Conqueror crowned at Westminster, 25 December 1066 So at last on Christmas Day in the year of Our Lord, 1066, the fifth Indiction, the English assembled at London for the king’s coronation, and a strong guard of Normen men-at-arms and knights was posted round the minster to prevent any treachery or disorder. And, in the presence of the bishops, abbots, and nobles of the whole realm of Albion, Archbishop Ealdred consecrated William duke of Normandy as king of the English and placed the royal crown on his head. This was done in the abbey church of St Peter the chief of the apostles, called Westminster , where the body of King Edward lies honourably buried. But at the prompting of the devil, who hates everything good, a sudden disaster and portent of future catastrophes occurred. For when Archbishop Ealdred asked the English, and Geoffrey bishop of Coutances asked the Normans , if they would accept William as their king, all of them gladly shouted out with once voice if not in one language that they would.

The armed guard outside, hearing the tumult of the joyful crowd in the church and the harsh accents of a foreign tongue, imagined that some treachery was afoot, and rashly set fire to some of the buildings. The fire spread rapidly from house to house; the crowd who had been rejoicing in the church took fright and throngs of men and women of every rank and condition rushed out of the church in frantic haste. Only the bishops and a few clergy and monks remained, terrified, in the sanctuary, and with difficulty completed the consecration of the king who was trembling from head to foot. Almost all the rest made for the scene of conflagration, some to fight the flames and many others hoping to find loot for themselves in the general confusion. TheEnglish, after hearing of the perpetration of such misdeeds, never again trusted the Normans who seemed to have betrayed them, but nursed their anger and bided their time to take revenge.

Source: The Ecclesiastic History of Orderic Vitalis, translated by Marjorie Chibnill (Oxford University Press, 1978) 9 Historical Events That Occurred on Christmas Day 9 Historical Events That Occurred on Christmas Day December 20, 2013 09:00 AM 800: Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne , the son of King Pepin the Short, succeeded his father as king of the Franks in 768. Over the next three decades, he conquered Northern Italy, Northern Spain and much of Central and Eastern Europe, converting the defeated tribes to Roman Catholicism. He promoted art, culture and education, inspiring the Carolingian Renaissance. In 800, Charlemagne helped restore Pope Leo III to power after a rebellion had forced him from Rome. In gratitude, the pope crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the Romans at a Christmas Day Mass. According to legend, Charlemagne did not expect or even want to receive the title, but modern historians believe that he was aware of the coronation.

1066: William the Conqueror Crowned King of England William, Duke of Normandy, led an invasion of England in the fall of 1066 to challenge the reign of King Harold. On Oct. 14 he defeated Harold’s army at the Battle of Hastings, during which Harold was killed by an arrow. William’s victory broke the resistance of the Anglo-Saxons. He was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, fulfilling the Norman Conquest of England. 1776: Washington Crosses the Delaware Gen. George Washington’s Continental Army suffered a string of setbacks in 1776 , being pushed by British and Hessian troops from Manhattan through New Jersey and across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. The army’s morale was low and in danger of being crushed. On the night of Dec. 25, 1776, Washington launched a daring attack on a Hessian garrison in Trenton . He led 2,400 troops across the Delaware in frigid, windy conditions and marched south to Trenton, where they defeated the unsuspecting Hessians in the early morning.

They won several other battles around Trenton over the next 10 days, turning the tide of the war. 1868: Andrew Johnson Pardons All Confederate Soldiers Southern Democrat Andrew Johnson became president following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, less than a week after the Southern army had surrendered. Johnson held sympathies for the South, and clashed with Radical Republicans in Congress who wanted to impose harsh measures on the South. This conflict led to his impeachment in February 1868 , but he survived the Senate vote to remove him from office. One of the most contentious issues was Johnson’s pardoning of Confederate soldiers . He pardoned all common men who were willing to take an oath of allegiance; wealthy landowners were required to apply for pardons, but Johnson pardoned nearly all who applied. Finally, on Dec. 25, 1868, as an outgoing president, Johnson issued a full pardon to all Southerners who participated in the war . 1914: World War I Soldiers Hold Christmas Truce Five months into World War I, British and German regiments along the Western Front reached spontaneous ceasefires on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate the holiday together.

Soldiers reported singing carols, exchanging gifts and playing soccer with their enemies. The widespread truces were not repeated in successive years as fighting grew bitter. “It is the last expression of that 19th-century world of manners and morals, where the opponent was a gentleman,” says University of Toronto historian Modris Eksteins. 1950: Stone of Scone Stolen From Westminster Abbey The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, was used as the coronation stone of Scottish kings from the ninth century to 1296, when it was plundered by English King Edward I and taken to London to serve as England’s coronation stone. A group of Scottish nationalist students decided to reclaim the stone for Scotland in 1950 . They broke into Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve and snuck out with it overnight. They took the stone, which they cracked in two during the heist, to Arbroath Abbey in Scotland, where it was discovered by authorities on April 11, 1951, and returned to England.

1989: Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu Executed Communist politician Nicolae Ceausescu brutally ruled over Romania from 1965 to 1989. His reign came to an end on Dec. 22, 1989 , when he and his wife Elena fled government headquarters by helicopter as it was being overrun by revolutionaries. They were caught and arrested later that day. The succeeding government decided to stage a quick trial on Christmas Day; the couple was found guilty of crimes including genocide, and sentenced to death. They were killed by firing squad immediately after the trial. 1991: Gorbachev Resigns, Marking the End of the Soviet Union Since assuming control of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party in 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev had attempted to reform the Soviet system through liberalizing policies. However, these policies weakened his rule and made the disintegration of the Soviet Union possible. On Dec. 8, 1991, Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the leaders of Belarus and Ukraine declared that they were forming a new commonwealth ; eight other Soviet republics joined the commonwealth on Dec. 21.

Gorbachev’s rule became untenable. He resigned Christmas Day , and the following day the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. Chapter 25. CHAPTER 25 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR–THE STORY OF HEREWARD THE WAKE WILLIAM OF NORMANDY had won the battle of Hastings, but he had not won England. Harold was dead, but the people would not call William king. For five days after the battle he waited, expecting the English lords to come to do homage to him, as their new master. But not one came. The people were full of grief and anger at the death of Harold, and of sullen hate for the conqueror. They would not own him as king. After five days, William waited no longer. More soldiers had come from Normandy to replace those who had been killed at the battle of Hastings. With these new soldiers William marched through the land, and so fierce and terrible was he, that he forced the people to own him as king. By December all the south of England was in William's power, and on Christmas Day he was crowned at Westminster.

Scarcely a year before, the people had crowded to the same place to see Harold, and to cheer and welcome him as their king. Now all was changed. The people were sullen and silent, the way was lined with Norman soldiers, and Norman faces and Norman costumes were everywhere to be seen. Stigand, the archbishop who had crowned Harold, refused to crown William, and William in wrath retorted that he was no true bishop, and that he did not wish to be crowned by him. Yet William forced Stigand to be present at the coronation. Once again, as so short a time before, the voice of the bishop rang through the great church, "Do you take William of Normandy to be your king?" Once again the answer came, "We do." But this time the question was asked and answered in French, and the English voices were silent. So the question was asked again in English, and the answer came from unwilling English lips, but not from English hearts, "We do." Then an echoing cry was heard without–not the shout of a glad people, but a cry of agony and despair. The Norman soldiers, instead of keeping order, had begun to fight and kill.

They had set fire to the houses near the church, and were slaying and robbing. Those within the church rushed out, some in fear, others eager to join the robbers. William was left alone with only the bishops and the priests. Then for the first time in his life the great William was afraid. Through the windows of the church he could see the flicker of flames, and could hear the savage yells of soldiers and the shrieks of frightened women and children. Yet he did not know whether the English had risen in revolt, or whether it was only his own wild soldiers who were attacking the people. But whatever it might be William meant to be King of England–a king crowned and anointed. So although his cheek was pale and his voice shook, he forced the archbishop to go on with the ceremony. With trembling hands the archbishop placed the crown upon William's head–not Harold's crown, but a new one glittering with splendid gems–and in a hurried and mumbling voice he finished the service. Then William, kneeling at the altar, promised to fear God, to rule the people well, and to keep the laws of Alfred and Edward, "so that the people be true to me," he added.

As he stood up no shout greeted him, the church was silent and empty. He passed down the aisle in lonely splendor, followed only by the trembling priests, while without was heard the sound of the crackling flames mingled with fierce yells and curses. William was crowned, but the English rejected him as king. They wanted an English king. But alas! there was no strong man whom they could choose. Harold's brave brothers had all died with him at Hastings. There, too, had fallen the noblest and the best of the English lords. There was no one left who seemed to have any right to the throne, except the little boy Edgar the Ætheling, Edmund Ironside's grandson. Even he did not seem to be English, for he had lived nearly all his life in Hungary, and could hardly speak his own language. But at least he was not Norman, so the English chose him to be king. The people of Northumberland rose in fierce rebellion against William, and he in as fierce anger marched against them with his soldiers. From north to south he laid waste to the country, burning towns, destroying farms, killing cattle, murdering the people, till the whole of Northumberland was one dreary desert.

So fierce and terrible was his wrath that even the ploughs and farming tools were destroyed, and the land lay untilled and desolate. Those of the people who were not killed in battle died miserably of cold and hunger. When William marched south again, he left only blackened ruins and dismal waste, where happy homes and smiling fields had been. From very necessity, most of English lords now bowed to William and owned him as master. Even Edgar came to him to do homage and strange to say William treated him kindly. Perhaps he felt that he was so strong and Edgar so weak, that he had no need to fear him. Still the English were not all conquered. In the Isle of Ely, in what is called the Fen country, the people made one last stand. There, under the leadership of a brave Englishman called Hereward, they held out against William. In the time of Edward the Confessor, Hereward had been banished for some reason, perhaps because he had quarreled with one of Edward's Norman friends. He had lived for many years across the sea in a country called Flanders.

But when he heard that Edward was dead, that Harold was also dead, and that William the Norman had seized the crown of England, Hereward came back determined to fight for his own land. All the noblest and bravest of the English who still resisted William gathered to Hereward and they made their camp in the Isle of Ely. The monks who already lived there shared their monastery with the soldiers. So in the great hall peaceful monks and warlike men sat side by side at meals, and the walls which had been hung with holy relics and pictures of saints were now covered with weapons and armor. Hereward built a castle at Ely, but it was a wooden one, while all through England the Normans were building strong fortresses of stone, such as the English had never seen before. Hereward hoped that, from his castle at Ely, he would gradually win all England again. But the hope was vain, for William was too strong. Yet it took him a long time to conquer Hereward. Like Harold, Hereward was a good general, and he was both clever and brave.

After trying vainly to find a way through the marshes and fens to Hereward's camp, William decided at last to build a road strong enough and broad enough to carry his army over. So the soldiers set to work at once with stones, wood, and skins of animals, to make a strong, broad, solid road. When it was finished William's men marched over it to attack Hereward's men in their own camp, but the English fought desperately, and the Normans were driven back. In those days people believed in witches. So William next found a poor old woman who was supposed to be a witch. He built a wooden tower, placed it on wheels, and with the witch inside, pushed it along the road, at the head of the Norman army. This poor old woman was meant to cast a spell over the English soldiers, so that they would not be able to fight any more. Of course she could really do them no harm, and Hereward and his men captured the tower and burned it up, witch and all. Again William had failed. Hereward had brought large stores of food into the camp, and he and his men hunted wild animals, so that there was always enough to eat, although the fare was plain.

But the monks who were used to living a very easy life and to having fine things to eat and drink, grew tired of fighting and of plain food, and they sent a message to William telling him of a secret way through the fens to the camp. So Hereward who could not be conquered was betrayed. One evening the Norman soldiers, led by the wicked monks, came stealthily through the thick woods among the marshes. In the gathering dusk they came creeping, silent and eager. Then, when they were close upon the camp, they burst with wild cries upon the unsuspecting English, and, when the sun had set, the sky was red with the flames from burning English homes. Many lay dead, many were taken prisoners. To the prisoners William was very cruel. He put out their eyes, cut off their hands, and treated them so dreadfully that they cried aloud, "It is better to fall into the hands of God than into those of the Norman tyrant." Hereward escaped, and with some of his bravest followers continued to fight, although all hope of freedom for England was gone. But he, too, yielded at length and bowed his proud head to the conqueror. William of Normandy was at last master of all England.

He was indeed William the Conqueror. Medieval Christmas - History Learning Site Medieval Christmas Citation: C N Trueman "Medieval Christmas" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 5 Mar 2015. 20 Oct 2016. Christmas in Medieval England was very different to Christmas now. The Church ensured that Christmas was a true religious holiday. Celebrations were for the birth of Christ as opposed to simply peasants enjoying themselves. The first recorded use of the word “Christmas” was in 1038 when a book from Saxon England used the words “Cristes Maesse” in it. Also of note for Medieval England was the fact that William the Conqueror had himself crowned king of England on Christmas Day 1066. Those noble men allowed inside Westminster Abbey cheered so loudly when the crowning ceremony was taking place that the guards outside thought something was happening to their master inside the abbey. They rushed inside, attacked people and houses near to Westminster Abbey were burned down. However, some of the problems experienced at Christmas then have had a knock-on effect for us.

For example, carol singers going from house to house now is as a result of carols being banned within churches in Medieval times. Carol singers in Medieval times took the word “carol” literally – it means to sing and dance in a circle. So many Xmas services were spoiled by carol signers doing just this, that the Church at the time banned them and ordered the carol singers into the street. The Christmas crib originated in Medieval times but in Medieval Italy. In 1223, Saint Francis of Assisi is said to have used a crib to explain to the local people of Assisi the Christmas story. It seems that the part played by animals in the Christmas story also comes from the early 13th century even if the Bible does not mention them ! December 28th is a day children may not have enjoyed in Medieval times. December 28th is “Holy Innocents Day” or “Childermass Day”. This is the day when King Herod ordered that all children under two years of age be killed. In some European towns it was the custom for a boy to be given charge of a town for one day after being made a bishop for just December 28th.

In Medieval England, children were reminded of Herod’s cruelty by being beaten. December 28th was seen by many then as a day of bad luck. No-one would get married on that day; no-one would start a building on that day and Edward IV refused to be crowned on that day. What was eaten on Christmas Day? Certainly not turkey. Turkeys naturally come from America and only got to Europe after the discovery of that continent in the late 15th century. So turkey would not have been on the Christmas menu of anybody in England. The rich would have eaten goose and, with the king’s permission, swan. If they could be caught, woodcock would also be eaten. To make a roast bird look even more tasty, medieval cooks used to cover the cooking bird with butter and saffron plant. This would give the cooked bird a golden colour by the time it was served. However, if the poor could afford it, the Church had a fixed price of 7 pence for a ready cooked goose. An uncooked goose would cost 6 pence – about a day’s wages. Venison from deer would also be on the menu. It has also given us a famous saying !!

The poor would not be allowed to eat the best parts of a deer. However, in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, a decent lord might let the poor have what was left of the deer. These parts were known as the deer’s ‘umbles’. These were the heart, liver, tongue, feet, ears and brains. Mixed with whatever else a cook could get, they were made into a pie. Therefore, the poor would eat ‘umble pie’. Nowadays, if you have taken a tumble in life and have to live a standard of life you would not usually be used to, it is said that you are having to eat ‘humble pie’. Mince pies are a tradition now for Christmas. In Medieval England a large mince pie was always baked. However, they were filled with all sorts of shredded meat along with spices and fruit. This recipe only changed in Victorian times when the shredded meat was left out. It was also believed that if you made a wish with the first bite of your first mince pie, your wish would come true. If you also refused the first mince pie someone offered you over Christmas, you would then suffer bad luck. Christmas puddings in Medieval England were spicy porridge and known as “frumenty”.

This was considered a real treat. It was made of thick porridge (or boiled wheat). Currants and dried fruit were stirred in. The yolks of eggs were also added and, if available, spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. The mixture was left to cool and set before being served. A less than Christian practice at this time and found only really in the countryside was the practice of killing a wild boar, cutting off its head, and offering it to the goddess of farming so that you would have a good crop in the following year. Christmas Day was also a “quarter day”. This meant that the poor had to pay their rent on this day! “Mumming” was also practiced at Christmas. This was where actors performed plays and dances in villages or castles. Mystery plays were also performed in which the story of Christ was told. King Herod would be in a mystery play and he would be the equivalent of a ‘baddie’ in a modern pantomime. Boxing Day has traditionally been associated with the rich giving gifts to the poor in boxes. This is not strictly true. On Boxing Day, the poor did receive money from their masters but in hollow clay pots with a slit in the top.

These had to be broken to get the money out. These small clay pots were nicknamed “piggies”. As a result, we now have piggy banks for collecting money in. William Conqueror Crowned on Christmas, 1066 A A William the Conqueror is paradoxically the most familiar name in English history and yet the least known of all kings. He is just taken for granted — a legend with a famous date and a famous battle. Before 1066, he was not called William the Conqueror, but William the Bastard — at least behind his back. In his youth he was taunted by sneering hecklers. True, he was the son of Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and his beautiful mistress, Arletta. But born in 1024, William, though illegitimate, was favored by his father and cosseted and treasured by his mother Arletta. Although Robert the Magnificent later would wed Estreth, daughter of King Canute of England, there was no issue. Robert decreed his heir and next Duke would be his baby son, William — despite the illegitimacy.

He made the Norman lords swear their loyalty and fealty to the son. But Robert didn’t remain in Normandy to solidify his son’s claim. He embarked on a crusade to Jerusalem to bring blessings and holy glory to himself and his family. But at age 25 in 1035, he died, leaving the 8-year old boy fatherless. The Norman lords broke their oaths and tried to hunt down William and kill him. Arlette hid him deep in the Normandy forest in woodchoppers’ huts, who rotated the hiding places — unaware that he was the Duke. A brave and fearless teenager, he had to defeat the forces of rival Norman claimants to nail down his dukedom of Normandy. Now, “Norman” is a corruption of “Norse-man,” a Viking from the North. Their Norman forebears were Viking pirates who had ransacked and pillaged southwest France. The Norsemen conquered the region and made it their ducal realm. But it was the French who “conquered” them. The Viking pirates invaded as bearded pagans, speaking Norse (akin to Danish).

After five generations, they were clean-shaven, Christians worshipping Jesus, not Odan or Thor, and speaking French, not Norse. At age 22,William fell blindly in love with Matilda. He had other girlfriends, but he became smitten with Matilda, the daughter of Baldwin V of Flanders and Adelise of France, the great-great granddaughter of Charlemagne. The count was dead set against his fair, slim and comely daughter wedding this “bastard” from Normandy. But his adamant opposition only increased William’s ardor. He carried her off as his bride, but now Pope Leo IX refused to sanction the marriage. He placed an interdict as a result of William’s defiance. The interdict was a terrible thing. Doors of the Norman churches were barred with intertwined branches closing them to worshippers. But William persisted. He enlisted his clergy friend, Lanfranc, to persuade the new Pope, Nicholas II, to lift the ban. Lanfranc gained the confidence of the new Pope, and it was after long negotiations that he arranged that William and Matilda would build four hospitals for the sick, blind, and aged in the chief Norman towns, Rouen, Bayeux.

Caen and Cherbourg. Thus came into being at Caen two of the noblest monuments of Romanesque art of the 11th century — one dedicated to St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and the other to the Holy Trinity. The first Abbot of St. Stephen’s was William’s friend, Lanfranc. Then followed the Duke’s conquest of neighboring Maine and defeat of the arrogant and ambitious Geoffrey of Anjou, chief vassal lord of King Henry of France. With French challenges to William vanquished, William now looked westward across the channel to England. William had a favorite aunt, Emma, and he visited his famous great aunt Emma in 1050. Emma was now in her mid-60s. Lady Emma had been first married to Ethelred the Unready, one of the worst monarchs in English history. “Unready” came from “redeless” meaning “without counsel” because he wouldn’t listen and blundered into folly. Their son was Edward the Confessor. He was called that because of his chastity towards his wife, Emma perceived, in the same kingly weakness in son, the Confessor.

Supposedly it was Aunt Emma who first planted the seeds of the English monarchy with William. She happily concurred when the feckless Confessor named William as his English royal successor. But Harold, the son of Earl Godwin, could be a problem. He was the dominant English earl when his father died. But Edward the Confessor, sents Harold to Normandy to confirm his recognition of William. Before a relic of the Holy Cross and priests as witnesses, Harold delivered his oath to William in 1060. But when Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, he left a will that bequeathed his throne to Harold. The Pope, Alexander, sided with William and sanctions his invasion of England. William assembled his fleet for invasion. They were fearsome ships with one mast and triangular sails and on their prow was a figurehead of a boar, stag or wolf, with William’s being a leopard. They landed at Pevensey Bay, near Hastings, on Sept. 28, 1066. To their surprise, they met no resistance. Unknown to William, King Harold was fighting the Norwegian King Harald, who had landed in friendly Scotland and had moved south to York.

Harald of Norway dispatched a messenger with this boastful taunt to Harold of England: “How much of England should be given to me?” Harold’s reply said, “Seven feet of English ground, as you are taller than other men.” But the Norwegian Harald early fell to the ground an arrow through his throat. His armies rallied in hand-to-hand combat, but darkness came and they fled. Harold’s army arrived at Hastings fresh from victory, but weary from battle and a forced march south. They chose a defensive position behind a wooden fortress on the heights of Senlac on Oct. 13. The next morning, the whole multicolored army of William, their armor and banners flashing in the morning haze met with a terrible blast of trumpets and war cries from the Senlac hill. In equally matched numbers of 7,000 men, William’s archers would supply the crucial difference. William ordered them to aim their shalfs high so that they dropped on English heads — atop their leather mailed defensive coats. Among the first victims from arrows falling from the sky was King Harold. Almost blind, Harold tried to rally his English soldiers, but the advancing Normans with axes and swords hacked them to bits.

After 10 hours, midnight neared and the blackness of dire defeat loomed for the embattled English. William the Conqueror was crowned on Christmas Day, 1066, in the newly built Westminster Abbey by Edward the Confessor. James Humes , a former White House speechwriter, is visiting historian at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and the author of "The Reagan Persuasion." © 2017 Newsmax. All rights reserved. Click Here to comment on this article Close William the Conqueror - Military Leader, King - Biography.com William the Conqueror The policies of William the Conqueror, king of England from 1066 until his death in 1087, may be largely responsible for eventually making Britain the most powerful nation in Europe. IN THESE GROUPS Famous People Who Died in France Synopsis At the age of 8, William the Conqueror became duke of Normandy and later King of England. Violence plagued his early reign, but with the help of King Henry I of France, William managed to survive the early years. After the Battle of Hastings, in 1066, he was crowned king of England.

He never spoke English and was illiterate, but he had more influence on the evolution of the English language then anyone before or since. William ruled England until his death, on September 9, 1087, in Rouen, France. Tumultuous Early Years Born circa 1028 in Falaise, Normandy, France, William the Conqueror was an illegitimate child of Robert I, duke of Normandy, who died in 1035 while returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. At only 8 years of age, William became the new duke of Normandy. Violence and corruption plagued his early reign, as the feudal barons fought for control of his fragile dukedom. A few of William's guards died and his teacher was murdered during a period of severe anarchy. With the help of King Henry I of France, William managed to survive the early years. Battle for the Throne The king knighted William, still in his teens, in 1042. Taking a new stand on political events, William finally gained firm control of his duchy (although his enemies commonly referred to him as "The Bastard" due to his illegitimate birth).

By 1064, he had conquered and won two neighboring provinces—Brittany and Maine. In the meantime, the childless king of England—Edward the Confessor, whose mother was a sister of William's grandfather—promised William succession to the English throne. However, when Edward died in 1066, his brother-in-law and most powerful of the English lords, Harold Godwin, claimed the throne of England for himself (despite an oath he made to William to support his claim). The Witan, a council of English lords that commonly took part in deciding succession, supported Harold. William, angered by the betrayal, decided to invade England and enforce his claim. William assembled a fleet and an army on the French coast, but due to unrelenting north winds, their advance was delayed for several weeks. In the meantime, the Norwegian army invaded England from the North Sea. Harold, who had been preparing for William's invasion from the south, rapidly moved his army north to defend England from Norway. After defeating the Norwegians, Harold unwisely marched his troops back down to meet William, without a rest.

On October 14, 1066, the two armies met in the famous Battle of Hastings. King Harold and his two brothers were killed in the battle, and since no one of stature remained to raise a new army, William's path to the throne was clear. He was crowned king of England on Christmas Day. Land Grab for the Normans There were several revolts in the next five years, which William used as an excuse to confiscate English land and declare it his personal property. He then distributed the land to his Norman followers, who imposed their unique feudal system. Eventually, Normans replaced the entire Anglo-Saxon aristocracy. William, however, retained most of England's institutions and was intensely interested in learning about his new property. He ordered a detailed census to be made of the population and property of England—which was compiled in The Domesday Book (now an invaluable source of historical information and still in the Public Record Office in London). Legacy William died on September 9, 1087, in Rouen, France. He had four sons and five daughters, and every monarch of England since has been his direct descendant.

Although he never spoke English and was illiterate, he had more influence on the evolution of the English language than anyone before or since—adding a slew of French and Latin words to the English dictionary. The introduction of skilled Norman administrators may be largely responsible for eventually making England the most powerful government in Europe. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

Citation Information King William I The Conqueror (1066 - 1087) The House of Normandy - ArtiFact :: Free Encyclopedia of Everything Art, Antiques & Collectibles Name: King William I The Conqueror Born: September 1028 at Falaise, Normandy Parents: Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and Arlette daughter of Fulbert (illegitimate) Relation to Elizabeth II: 25th great-grandfather House of: Normandy Ascended to the throne: December 25, 1066 aged 38 years Crowned: December 25, 1066 at Westminster Abbey Married: Matilda, Daughter of Count of Flanders Children: 4 sons including William II and Henry I, and 6 daughters Died: September 9, 1087 at Rouen, France, aged 59 years, and 7 days Buried at: St Stephens Abbey, Caen, Normandy Reigned for: 20 years, 8 months, and 14 days Succeeded by: his son William II The House of Normandy William the Conqueror King of England, son of Robert II “The Magn

ificent” 6th Duke of Normandy and Herleva de Falaise, was born on 14 Oct 1024 in Falaise, Normandy, France and died on 9 Sep 1087 in Hermentrube, Near Rouen, France at age 62.

The cause of his death was Fatal fall from a horse. Other names for William were William I King of England, and William. King of England from 25 December 1066. He was the illegitimate son of Duke Robert the Devil whom he succeeded as Duke of Normandy in 1035. Claiming that his 2nd cousin King Edward the Confessor had bequeathed him the English throne, William invaded England in September 1066, defeating Harold II Godwineson at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. General Notes: Reigned 1066-1087. Duke of Normandy 1035-1087. Invaded England defeated and killed his rival Harold at the Battle of Hastings and became King. The Norman conquest of England was completed by 1072 aided by the establishment of feudalism under which his followers were granted land in return for pledges of service and loyalty. King William was noted for his efficient if harsh rule. His administration relied upon Norman and other foreign personnel especially Lanfranc Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1085 started the Domesday Book.

NOTES: William of the House of Normandy; The first Norman King; On 28 Sep 1066 William secured the sanction of Pope Alexander II for a Norman invasion of England. By 1070 the Norman conquest of England was complete. William introduced the Continental system of feudalism; by the Oath of Salisbury of 1086 all landlords swore allegiance to William, thus establishing the precedent that a vassal’s loyalty to the king overrode his fealty to his immediate lord. During a campaign against King Philip I of France, William fell from a horse and was fatally injured. William was the illegitimate son of Robert I, duke of Normandy and Arletta, a tanner’s daughter. He is sometimes called “William the Bastard”. REF: “Falls the Shadow” Sharon Kay Penman: William requested a large number of Jews to move to England after his conquest. They spoke Norman & did well under his reign.

REF: British Monarchy Official Website: The victory of William I, ‘the Conqueror’ (reigned 1066-1087) at Hastings and his subsequent coronation in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066 did not give him complete control of England. Remaining resistance was, however, severely crushed and castles were built to control the country (including a fortress on the site of Windsor Castle, and the White Tower at the Tower of London). The lands of defeated Saxon nobles were given to William’s followers in return for military service by a certain number of knights, so that the tenants’ foremost obligation was allegiance to the king. This firmly established the feudal system. In 1086, William commissioned the Domesday Book, to record land holdings for the assessment of taxes and other dues. William spent long periods in Normandy to maintain his authority there, dealing with rebellions and French invasions. William died in 1087 leaving Normandy to his eldest son, Robert, and England to his second son, William II Rufus (reigned 1087-1100).

REF: “Royal Descents of Famous People” Mark Humphreys: Steve Jones’ book “In the Blood: God, Genes, & Destiny” 1996, estimates that 25% of the population of Britain is descended from William the Conqueror. Consider you need two parents, four grandparents, etc. Assuming an average of abt 25 years per generation, you only need go back to 1200, quite within historical times, to need more separate ancestors than the population of the world. Therefor we all must descend from cousin marriages, many times over, even within the last few hundred years. Davenport claimed “no people of English descent are more distantly related than 30th cousins”. Noted events in his life were: Title: 7th Duke of Normandy 1035-1087. Military: Invaded Anjou, Brittany, Maine, 1047. Military: Norman conquest of England completed by, 1072. Personality: Noted for his efficient if harsh rule. Political: Started the Domesday Book, 1085.

Military: Defeated & killed his rival Harold at the Battle of Hastings and became King. Title: Reigned as King of England 1066-1087. Matilda of Flanders William married Matilda of Flanders, daughter of Baudouin V “The Pious” Comte de Flanders and Adela Capet Comtesse de Contenance, in 1053 in Cathedral Of Notre Dame D’eu, Normandy. Matilda was born in 1031 in Flanders, France, died on 2 Nov 1083 in Caen, Calvirginiados, France at age 52, and was buried in Holy Trinity Abbey, Caen, Normandy, France. Noted events in her life were: Political: Served as William’s Regent in Normandy during & after the invasion of England. Children from this marriage were: Adela de Normandy was born in 1062 in Normandy, France and died on 8 Mar 1138 in Marcigny-Sur-Loire, France at age 76.

Henry I King of England was born about Sep 1068 in Selby, Yorkshire, England and died on 1 Dec 1135 in St. Denis-Le-Fermont, Forest Angers, Near Rouen, Normandy about age 67. William II “Rufus” Duke of Normandy, King of England died in 1100. Robert II “Curthose” Duke of Normandy died in 1134. William’s coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. He completed the establishment of feudalism in England, compiling detailed records of land and property in the Domesday Book, and kept the barons firmly under control. He died in Rouen after a fall from his horse and is buried in Caen, France. He was succeeded by his son William II. William’s early years were marked by violence and disorder. In 1046 his cousin, Guy of Burgundy, led a revolt which forced the young duke to seek the aid of his overlord, Henry I of France. With Henry’s help, William defeated Guy at Val-és-Dunes, and firmly secured control over Normandy.

In 1051–52 William and Henry besieged and captured Domfront castle and Alençon in Maine, France. Almost immediately afterwards, William, Count of Arques, rebelled against the duke with the support of Henry I, who was increasingly concerned about Normandy’s growing power. William quickly besieged the rebel Arques-la-Bataille castle and it was surrendered to him in 1053. In 1054 Henry I and Geoffrey of Anjou invaded Normandy, but the annihilation of part of their force at Mortimer forced them to withdraw. Their second invasion, in 1057, was defeated at Varaville. In 1051 Edward the Confessor had nominated William as heir to the English throne, but when he died in January 1066 Harold (II) Godwinson was crowned. William immediately began preparations for an invasion of England. On 28 September his forces landed unopposed at Pevensey, Sussex. Harold was in the north of England defeating an invasion led by Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, but immediately marched south to meet William.

Their armies clashed in the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. Harold was slain and William achieved a decisive victory. In 1067 William forcibly brought southwest England under his control. In 1068 he marched north and east to establish a number of strategic fortifications. In the summer of 1069 Swein Estrithson of Denmark landed with a considerable force in the Humber and was welcomed by the northern English earls who joined him in expelling the Norman garrison at York. William immediately marched north, destroying everything in his path, and reoccupied York. He undertook a systematic harrying of the north, setting his troops to kill and burn in order to leave nothing that could support future rebellion. The Danish fleet was bought off and departed. In 1072 William led an invasion that forced King Malcolm of Scotland to surrender hostages and swear fealty. In 1073 he was back in France suppressing rebellion in Maine. His regents dealt with a rebellion by the English earls in 1075, and in the latter years of his reign, William twice faced rebellion in Normandy led by his eldest son, Robert (II) Curthose.

In 1087 William sacked the French-controlled town of Nantes in the Vexin. In the fighting he suffered a fatal internal injury after being thrown against the pommel of his saddle. He was taken to the priory of Saint-Gervais near Rouen where on 9 September he died. England’s first Norman king, William I, was born in 1028, at Falaise Castle, the illegitimate son of Robert the Devil or the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and Herleve, (sometimes called Arlette) the daughter of Fullbert, a tanner of Falaise. Before history renamed him the Conqueror he was more commonly known to his contemporaries as William the Bastard. Herleve was reported to have attracted Duke Robert with her dancing, in some accounts, he is said to have first caught sight of her while she was washing her linen in the castle moat.

The Norman dynasty had been founded by Robert’s ancestor Rollo or Hrolf the Ganger, a Viking raider chief, who was granted the duchy by Charles the Simple, King of France, in 911, at the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, in exchange for feudal alliegiance and conversion to Christianity at which he took the baptismal name of Robert. William’s mother, Herleve, also had a daughter, Adelaide, to Duke Robert. Although they had a long relationship, the gap in their social standing rendered marriage out of the question and Herleve was married off to one of Robert’s vassals, Herluin, a knight. From this marriage, Herleve produced two further sons, Robert, who later became Count of Mortain and Odo, destined to become Bishop of Bayeux and also to play a part in England’s history. William, Duke of Normandy Duke Robert decided to expiate his sins, which were many, by going on pilgrimage in 1034. Since he had no legitimate heir to succeed him, he persuaded his unruly barons to accept the illegitimate William as future Duke of Normandy.

On his return journey from the Holy Land Robert died suddenly and the young William succeeded to the Dukedom by his father’s will. The barons exhibited no loyalty to the”‘base born” child and thereafter William grew up in the school of adversity. He had to learn, very early, how to survive. The barons constantly rebelled and anarchy reigned in Normandy during the years of William’s minority. William’s guardians were murdered in succession. Osbern was killed whilst guarding his door. His maternal uncle, Walter, at one point resorted to hiding the child with some poor people. William was formed and moulded by this savage and insecure childhood into the stark and often ruthless ruler he was later to become. In 1047, he asserted his authority and crushed the rebels at Val-es-Dunes after which he began to restore order in his Dukedom. At Alencon, the burghers insulted his birth by hanging “hides for the tanner” over the walls. On taking the town he exacted a terrible revenge and had both their hands and feet amputated. One of lifes great survivors, William finally emerged as undisputed Duke of Normandy.

William’s appearance William matured into a tall, thick set man with dark hair, which receeded from his forehead early. His voice was rasping and guttural. William undoubtedly possessed considerable powers of leadership and courage. He was devout and inspired loyalty in his followers, but could also be ruthless and cruel. William of Malmesbury provides us with a detailed description of the king in his Historia Anglorum:- ‘He was of just stature, ordinary corplulence, fierce countenance; his forehead was bare of hair; of such great strength of arm that it was often a matter of surprise, that no one was able to draw his bow, which himself could bend when his horse was in full gallop; he was majestic whether sitting or standing, although the protuberance of his belly deformed his royal person; of excellent health so that he was never confined with any dangerous disorder, except at the last; so given to the pleasures of the chase, that as I have before said, ejecting the inhabitants, he let a space of many miles grow desolate that, when at liberty from other avocations, he might there pursue his pleasures. His anxiety for money is the only thing on which he can deservedly be blamed.

This he sought all opportunities of scraping together, he cared not how; he would say and do some things and indeed almost anything, unbecoming to such great majesty, where the hope of money allured him. I have here no excuse whatever to offer, unless it be, as one has said, that of necessity he must fear many, whom many fear.’ William negotiated a marriage in 1049 to Matilda of Flanders, a descendant of the old Saxon House of Wessex and daughter of Baldwin, Count of Flanders and Adela, daughter of Robert II, King of France. They were an ill-assorted pair, he strongly built and five feet ten inches tall and she ( as it emerged when her skeleton was exhumed) extremely short. It proved however, to be a highly successful union and produced a large family. The Conquest of England The Duke of Normandy visited his English cousin, Edward the Confessor, in 1051. Edward and his brother Alfred had spent much of their childhood in exile at the Norman Court, their mother, Emma, had been a daughter of the House of Normandy.

During this visit, Edward is purported to have promised his Norman cousin the crown of England, should he die without issue. The real heir was Edgar the Atheling, Edward’s great-nephew, the grandson of his elder brother Edmund Ironside, but he was still a child and knew little of England, having spent much of his life in exile in Hungary. Others also coveted the English throne, the chief candidate amongst these was Harold, son of the powerful Godwine, Earl of Wessex, who’s sister, Edith, was married to King Edward the Confessor.. Harold was unfortunately shipwrecked on the coast of Normandy, where he found himself the unwilling guest of Duke William. The Confessor was now unlikely to survive long and Harold was anxious to return to England to forward his ambitions there. However, before he would allow his guest to leave, William required him to swear an oath to support his claim to the crown upon Edward’s death. Under duress, Harold finally consented and swore the oath on holy relics. Edward the Confessor finally breathed his last in January, 1066, and was buried in his foundation of St.Peter, Westminster, which had been consecrated but ten days previously.

It was reported that on his deathbed he had nominated Harold as his successor who was duly accepted as King by the Saxon Witangemot or council of elders, which traditionally elected the next English King. Back in Normandy, on receipt of this ominous news, the formidable Duke William flew into a rage. He began to build an invasion fleet to take by force what he considered to be his by right. The Pope himself, due to Harold’s foresworn oath on holy relics, supported William’s enterprise. After Harold was crowned by Archbishop Stigand, a portentous star was seen in the skies, this has now been identified as Halley’s comet, many in that superstitious age saw it as an omen of the wrath of God on the perjured King Harold and his followers. Harold assembled the fyrdd, the Saxon militia of freemen, in preparation for William’s imminent landing, whilst the Duke prepared his fleet and waited for good weather to set sail for England. In mid September, Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, invaded England, accompanied by Tostig, Earl of Northumbria, Harold’s unruly and discontented brother, who had earlier been banished and his earldom confiscated.

Harold marched his army north in haste to meet the invaders at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, where he won a decisive victory over the Viking army. At this time, the winds William had been pensively awaiting turned favourable and he set sail with his massive invasion fleet. News of his landing at Bulverhythe was conveyed to Harold, who responded by hurrying south to meet him, giving his exhausted army no respite. Had Harold rested and reorganized his army, the outcome of the impending battle and English history could have been very different. William 1 from the Beaux Tapestry On 14th October, the Saxon and Norman forces clashed in the fateful Battle of Hastings. Harold took up a defensive position on Senlac Ridge. The Norman army was thus forced to attack uphill, placing them at a disadvantage. The Saxon army formed a shield wall along the edge of the hill which rebuffed repeated Norman attacks. A rumour arose in the Norman ranks that Duke William was dead, causing panic and flight. Many of the Saxon fyrdd pursued the fleeing Normans down the hill. William put heart into his army by loudly announcing he still lived.

The Normans rallied, Harold’s brothers Gyrth and Leofwine were both slain on the battlefield. The battle continued for most of the day, Harold and his Saxons fought with steely determination for possession of their country. As dusk began to fall over Hastings, William ordered his archers to fire high into the air and one of these arrows is said to have hit Harold in the eye, blinding him, although this point is disputed by some sources. Whether this was the case or not, Harold fell mortally wounded under the dragon standard of Wessex. The Saxon army, seeing that the day was lost, began to flee the field. The houscarls, Harold’s trained professional militia, loyally and valiantly defended the body of their King to the last, but they too finally fell and Harold’s body was mutilated by the Normans, a vindictive act, which William punished. The battle was lost and Anglo-Saxon England died with Harold on the battlefield that day. Harold’s deeply distressed mistress, Edith Swan-neck came to William pleading for her lover’s body and offering him its weight in gold in exchange, but William coldly refused her distraught request. He had Harold buried in a secret location.

William proceeded to London, where he was crowned King of England at Edward the Confessor’s foundation of Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1066. He accepted the surrender of the Saxon Earls Edwine and Morkere along with that of the child claimant, Edgar Atheling and defeated the heroic Hereward the Wake at Ely. On the whole the south of England submitted to Norman rule, whereas in the north resistance was more prolonged. William responded by subjecting the English to a reign of terror. Determined to punish and crush rebellion to his rule and strike abject fear into English hearts, he laid waste vast tracts of Yorkshire, which suffered under a great famine for nine years after as a result. He rewarded his Norman and French followers by distributing the confiscated lands of the English to them. William was a savage and formidable ruler, by modern standards an exceedingly cruel one, but his methods produced the desired results and extinguished the fires of opposition. Many castles and keeps were built across the country to enforce his rule, originally wooden towers or earthen mottes, in all over 80 castles were established during the reign, including the White Tower, the first building in the Tower of London complex.

The dominating shadow of the White Tower loomed menacingly over medieval London, a visible expression of Norman power. The new King’s half brother, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, commissioned a tapestry to commemorate his brother’s victory in 1078. It depicts a series of scenes leading up to and during the conquest. William’s conversion of the New Forest into a royal hunting ground saw the introduction of harsh and severe forest laws, which caused great resentment amongst the Anglo-Saxons. William changed England’s laws and inflicted harsh punishments for offenders. Murder became an officially punishable crime in England and slavery was abolished. Anglo-Saxon England was radically altered by the Norman conquest, it changed the entire way of life then established in the country. Its laws, aristocracy and church were altered and it introduced the French feudal system. The Anglo-Saxon language was replaced by Norman French as the language of the upper classes, modern English is the natural outgrowth of both. The role of the conquerors and the conquered can still be detected in many English words, the Saxon cow, tended by the lowly Saxon villein became the Norman beef when it appeared on the lord’s table. The Saxon swine became Norman gammon.

There are countless other examples in modern English which amply illlustrate the role of Saxon servant and Norman master. The Norman Feudal System, which William introduced into England, was a complicated heirarchial structure at whose apex sat the king. That lords held their lands under the king in exchange for homage and military assistance rendered to him in times of need. The Domesday Book In December, 1085, William decided to commision an enquiry into the extent of his dominions to maximise taxation. This unique survey was known to history as the Domesday Book. The Domesday Book still survives today in the Public Record Office, London and is an extraordinary document for its time. The Death of William I Tomb of William 1 at Caen Normandy The last year of William’s life was spent fighting in Normandy, in battle for the Vexin, a much disputed territory, which lay between Normandy and France. Amongst those opposing him was his rebellious eldest son, Robert, nicknamed Curthose by his father, due to his short legs.

On 9th September, 1087, whilst riding through the smouldering ruins of the sacked town of Mantes, in what must have appeared to him as like an act of divine retribution, William was thrown from his horse when it trod on burning ashes and sustained severe abdominal injuries. The King, now aged fifty nine and mortally injured, was carried to the convent of St. Gervais in Rouen, the Norman capital. There he summoned his younger sons, William and Henry, to his deathbed. Robert Curthose remained at the court of France. William confessed his sins and sought pardon. His treasure was distributed to the churches and the poor, “so that what I amassed through evil deeds may be assigned to the holy uses of good men.” England was bequeathed to his second surviving and favourite son, William Rufus and despite his bitter differences with Robert Curthose, he left Normandy to him. To Henry, the youngest son, later destined to inherit all his dominions, he left 5,000 silver pounds. He is reported to have ruminated on and repented of his many sins, transgressions and cruelties at the end.

He tried to salve his conscience, before preparing to meet his maker and fearing for his immortal soul, he ordered all the treasure he possessed in Rouen to be given to the church and the poor and forgave his enemies. William the Conqueror died on 9th September, 1087, having ruled England for 21 years. William was buried in the monastery of St.Stephen at Caen in Normandy, an abbey he had previously founded as an act of repentence for his consanguineous marriage to Matilda of Flanders. The body was broken as it was lowered into the sepulchre, made too short by the stonemasons and the ceremony was interrupted by a dispossessed knight. A stone slab with a Latin inscription, in the abbey church of Caen today marks the burial place of the first Norman King of England. His grave has since been desecrated twice, in the course of the French Wars of Religion his bones were scattered across Caen, and during the tumultuous events of the French Revolution, the Conqueror’s tomb was again despoiled.

House of Normandy Family Tree The children and grandchildren of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders (1) Robert ‘Curthose’ Duke of Normandy (1054 -1134) m.Sybilla of Conversano (i) William Clito, Count of Flanders (d.1128) m. Sybil of Anjou (2) Richard (circa 1055 – 1081) (3) WILLIAM II (circa 1056 – 1100) (4) Cecilia (d.1126)

Question: Which King of England was crowned on Christmas Day?
Answer: WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR