William The Conqueror Research Paper

679 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: William the conqueror achievements

William the Conqueror
The study of various medieval characters calls for covering a lot of ground. Medieval Literature refers to the works produced from about the fall of Rome, which was the late 400s CE to the advent of the printing press in the 15th century. This is the period of the end of the Classical period when people wore togas to the Renaissance when manly men put on tights and women fitted cumbersome Elizabethan attire. During this period, stories were passed by word of mouth before being written down in manuscripts. This article focuses on one prominent character of the medieval age by the name William the Conqueror.
William was born in c. 1028 in Falaise, Normandy [France] and was a great ruler and soldier of the Middle Ages (Barlow, …show more content…

He supported King Henry in strengthening his southern frontier and broadening his duchy to Maine. In 1054, he was named the heir to the English throne. In an aim of allying with Baldwin V, he married Baldwin’s daughter towards the end of 1053 with whom they bore four sons; Robert, Richard, William Rufus and Henry, and five daughters (McCarthy, n.p.).
Between 1054 and 1060, Geoffrey Martel and King Henry formed an alliance against him and in addition to an internal rebellion, he was threatened. However, his skill made him prevail. He first suppressed the rebel then defeated the forces of Martel and Henry in 1054 Battle of Mortimer. In 1057, he had a second victory in Varaville and regained full control of Normandy. He further conquered Maine in 1063 to become the most powerful ruler in northern France (BBC, n.p.).
As a king, William replaced disloyal nobles and ducal servants with his friends and limited internal rebellion. His reign ensured flourish to the Norman church due to his adoption of English structure to the church. He built castles including the Tower of London to hold the country securely. In his final 15 years of life, he was more frequent Normandy than in England and would stay long without paying a visit to the kingdom. He was later taken to Rouen where he lay for five weeks dying. He died on September 9, 1087, and was buried at St. Stephen’s church in Caen (Barlow,

Show More
Related

  • William Wallace: Leader for Scotland´s Independence

    964 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his final days, even though England was winning, he refused to give up. He was later captured by the English in 1305 near Glasgow, Scotland. He was taken to London where he was tried as a traitor. The English hung him, beheaded him and cut him into 4 pieces and put them at the corners of Scotland. Of course in doing so, it made the Scottish feel that he was protecting them which helped give them the courage to fight back.

    Read More

  • Athenian definition of democracy

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    - - - The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval History. London, England, Penguin Books, no publication

    Read More

  • Was Beowulf A Good King

    413 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the Anglo-Saxon society, warriors were in wars daily, as they looked for prominence, success, and fortune. Kings of various kinship groups were not just secretly planners; they also fought in wars. Beowulf shows great qualities of a good and successful king throughout his life. Such as rare physical strength, having courage while fighting, and loyalty.

    Read More

  • William Of Rubruck

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    William of Rubruck was a traveling Franciscan monk. He lived from about 1200 to 1256. He accompanied King Louis IX on the seventh crusade and became close with him. Louis feared Europe was next on the Tartars list to be conquered. His reaction was to send William to the Court of the Great Khan in 1253 to convert them to Christianity and to assure that Europe was safe from invasion.

    Read More

  • How Did William The Conqueror Get His Patronage

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    William the Conqueror and his Patronage William I, better known as William the Conqueror, began his medieval and political career at a young age when his father left him to go on a crusade. Effectively William became the Duke of Normandy. He had to fight against other members of the Norman royalty who desired William's land and treasure. William learned at an early age that the men who ruled Europe during the middle ages were primarily interested in their own greed at the expense of all else, including the concepts chivalry and honor. He soon became a feared military commander, conquering all in Normandy who would oppose his interests.

    Read More

  • King Louis Xiv Research Paper

    1292 Words  | 3 Pages

    O: Rage and revolt can describe the country of France at the time of the Revolution faced because of turmoil and struggle they faced. Different estates were formed based on what you did and your class in society. The people of society wanted more say in the government and decisions that King Louis XVI made. The public didn't approve with much of what King Louis did. His lack of ability to be a strong king and leader affected his reputation to the public eye. King Louis was tried for committing treason to the country of France. Treason is the attempt to kill a sovereign and overthrow the government. Some of the reasons were his attempt to flee to Varennes, living in Versailles which was not in Paris, and reforms he passed as a ruler. These actions performed by King Louis isn’t what a King does, but that doesn’t prove any

    Read More

  • King Tut Research Paper

    680 Words  | 2 Pages

    King Tut was a fascinating pharaoh at most. There isn’t much on who king Tut was or when he was born or how he died. But some people have dedicated there lives to find out who he was. He was born during the Golden Age. He became king a surprisingly young age. He achieved many things and had an important job. His death was and still is a mystery to most. It was said he wasn’t in his original tomb. But he was eventually found. King Tut became a Pharaoh at a really young age and he had many achievements but died at a relatively young age. (Hawass 29-56)

    Read More

  • William the Conqueror Life and Accomplishments

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    "William the Conqueror." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 2.

    Read More

  • Beowulf: A Study of Kingship

    423 Words  | 1 Pages

    For the most part, Beowulf’s characteristics describe those of a triumphant warrior who played a major role in defending the lives of his fellow citizens, while leading a thriving country. Although Beowulf soon became king, he died for his people, and was remembered as a victorious fighter. Beowulf is at least in part a study of kingship because it discusses the qualities that produce a good king, the disadvantages during his rule and how he overcame them, and the problems that arose upon his death.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On William The Conqueror

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    William I was put into the spotlight from a very early age. He became the Duke of Normandy at the ripe age of eight years old, and pandemonium ensued almost immediately. Throughout his early years of power, a “breakout of authority” occurred all throughout Normandy, leading to many future problems that William would handily deal with (William I 2). Although he had many people seeking to overthrow him, William had support on his side, and was able to use the adversity he faced to his advantage. At a very young age, William was learning the tricks of the trade, and became very logical and rational in making decisions whether they be military or political based. Without his troubled upbringing, it is questionable whether or not he would have been as great of a leader as he turned out to be.

    Read More

  • William the Conqueror

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    William had a youth of clean life and of much natural piety, while the years of storm and stress through which he passed gave him an endurance of character which lasted to his life's end. During the time of anarchy in Normandy he became a skilled military leader and defeated his enemies, uniting his duchy. Once he began fighting, rumor has it that he never lost a battle. In 1047 a serious rebellion of nobles occurred, and William with the aid of King Henry of France, gained a great victory at Val-ès-Dunes, near Caen.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Grendel and the Dragon in Beowulf

    1277 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...h-day”. While Beowulf could not resist the calling of the riches, his intentions were good. Protector of his people for fifty years, he is remembered as a brave and just king.

    Read More

  • The Battle of Hastings - Why Did William Win?

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    On the 14th of October 1066, Duke William of Normandy defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. His win could be summed up by the fact that William was a better leader. Other factors that contributed to William’s victory include: William was better prepared, the English army was severely weakened as Harold had just fought off an invasion in the North of England, and Harold made a fatal mistake of prematurely entering the Battle of Hastings.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Social Class Exposed in The Canterbury Tales

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Roger Babusci et al. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1994. 115-136. Print. “The Medieval Period: 1066-1485.”

    Read More

  • Dover Castle Research Paper

    1936 Words  | 4 Pages

    William the Conqueror strengthened his defences with an earthwork and timber-stockaded castle (“Dover Castle”). Doing this is extraordinary idea considering back in those days lighthouses were not popular. William the Conqueror was smart by picking out the spot which is the shortest sea crossing between England and the Continent. The lighthouse remained how it was until the 1180’s.

    Read More

More about William The Conqueror Research Paper

Open Document