William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror

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William the conqueror was the bastard son of Robert the Devil, the sixth Norman duke, and a tanner’s daughter named Arlette. In those days it was common for noble men to have children without marriage. Robert was either eighteen or nineteen years old when he first saw William’s mother Arlette. He summoned for her to come to his castle and Arlette moved in with Robert and stayed until he got rid of her.

When William was about seven-years-old his father took a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem. On the return trip home from Jerusalem, “Robert was seized with a violent illness, due, it was hinted, to poison.” (Russell). Before Robert left for his journey he had made William his heir. Upon Robert’s death William became the next Duke of Normandy. After his father’s death, William was placed in the care of guardian. These guardians were murdered. One of the more notable guardians was Seneschal Osbern. He’s notable because his son William Fitz Osbern was William’s friend and later became a lieutenant in his army. “The seneschal was eventually murdered in his bed in the very presence of the child; whereupon the boy duke was rescued by his mother’s brother and hidden in the homes of peasants and hovels of the poor.” (Russell). William could not trust anyone in his father’s family; they did not want William to be the Duke. The relatives in his mother’s family were the one’s who protected him when he was young. William’ guardians decided that they would “shape him into an effective fighting man and politician”. (Russell). It is to their credit that William was not murdered during his childhood, they kept him well protected.

William fou...

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... The English people never became organized nor combined their forces to become a threat to William.

In 1085 and 1086, William had a royal commission to compile the Domesday Book. “The Domesday survey, so called because none could escape its judgement.” (Smith). The commissioners counted every person, animal and the amount of land each person held. He had this survey done so he could account for land ownership and would know how much to tax the people.

In 1087, William was fighting in Mantes when he struck his swollen belly on his pommel on his saddle. This accident proved to be fatal. “William died at Rouen, the Norman capital, on September 9, 1087: he was buried at St. Stephen’s, his own magnificent church in Caen.” (Smith). After William’s death his son William Rufus became King of England. He became William II.