William The Conqueror

William the Conqueror

     William was born in 1027 but was born illegitimately. Therefore, he should not have held the title of the heir to the duke of Normandy but his father insisted that William was still his only son so to him and ergo should be the king. William will also later have 2 half-brothers from his mother’s side and 1 half-sister from his father’s side. Because of his illegitimate birth, many of his kinsmen challenged him for the throne and William encountered many close calls with Death. But before his father left for his pilgrimage, he made everyone swear that William will be his heir although unfortunately, his father did not return. But even after they swore to William, William kept encountering close calls as if Death was playing him. The only reason he didn’t end up in Death’s broken toy box, was Henry the first who allied with him to defeat the rebels at the battle of Val-es-Dunes. William was only eight but already was entitled with a tremendous responsibility.

         By the time that Edward the Confessor had died without any children, there were three main people who challenged themselves for the throne: William, Harold Godwinson, and Harald the third of Norway. But the thing that put William on the top was the fact that William had a small blood claim through his great aunt Emma and that when Edward was exiled, he spent a lot of time in Norway with William and when William visited Edward in London, William claimed that Edward had promised he will be the next king. He was just about to be crowned when Edward’s lost will was found and on it said Harold Godwinson will be the next king.        Next, William openly began to assemble an army to take down Harold Godwinson and it is said it contained over 550 people! Harold soon learns that Harald the third of Norway was also planning on attacking him. Harold soon defeated Harald of Norway and headed south to meet Williams oncoming army which will soon become the bloody war call the Battle of Hastings. In that same war is where Harold was killed. William waited for a formal surrendering of the throne but none came. Ergo he started his march to London in hopes of fighting the throne from the English’s grasps.  much to his hope, he succeeded. Finally William had the English throne.

         William changed England in terms of politics, culture, economics, and the most important, language. William died on 1087 at the age of 59 because he was trampled by his horse and suffered abdominal injuries. On his deathbed, William divided his power and wealth with his sons: the eldest son Robert, was to be the Duchy of Normandy, his middle son, William 2, was to be the next English king, and finally, his youngest son, Rufus, received 5,000 pounds. William was a legacy and still is among many French people and Englishmen.