William I of England (c.1028 – 9 September 1087), commonly known as William the Conqueror or William the Bastard, was Duke of Normandy from 1035 and King of England from 1066 until his death in 1087. He established Norman rule in England after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, and his reign brought profound social, political and administrative change — including large-scale land redistribution to Norman elites, the construction of motte-and-bailey castles, and the commissioning of the Domesday Book. William's rule laid the foundations of the Anglo-Norman state and the Norman dynasty which ruled England until 1135.
Biography[]
Early Life and Succession[]
An illegitimate son of Duke Robert of Normandy, William—known disparagingly as "the Bastard"—inherited the dukedom in 1035 at the age of about eight. His minority triggered savage contests for power, as rival nobles and family factions sought to exploit his youth. William’s first struggles were against his own kinsmen and rebellious barons, who had to be beaten into acceptance of his authority.
Consolidation of Power in Normandy[]
Three of his appointed guardians were killed, most notably Gilbert of Brionne and Osbern the Steward, reflecting the instability of his early reign. His father Duke Robert I had died on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, leaving William’s succession clouded by his illegitimacy. Rival Norman nobles frequently questioned his right to rule, and several supporters were either driven into exile or stripped of authority—part of the violent factionalism that marked Normandy during his youth.
At the decisive battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047, William, aided by the French king Henri I, defeated a major rebellion and asserted his legitimacy by force. Over the following decade he pursued campaigns of suppression, castle building, and patronage of loyal families, gradually reining in the fractious Norman baronage. By about 1060, William’s control of Normandy was broadly secure, and he had established himself as a formidable duke and military commander.
Vying for Territory[]
Ruthless in pursuit of his interests, William employed the medieval military arts of ravaging and devastation with relentless determination. He fought frequent wars with his neighbours:
Against the powerful counts of Anjou, he launched repeated campaigns in the 1050s and early 1060s to secure the strategically important County of Maine, finally bringing it under Norman control in 1063. This victory secured Normandy’s southern frontier, freeing William’s hand for ventures across the Channel.
With Conan of Brittany, William conducted a long-standing feud, alternating between outright campaigns and shifting alliances, as both dukes sought to assert dominance in northwestern France. By the early 1060s, William had transformed Normandy into a disciplined, expansionist duchy.
Invasion of England[]
William was not only a warrior but also a cunning diplomat. He secured the backing of the Papacy for his planned invasion of England in 1066, an extraordinary coup that cast his expedition as a holy enterprise. Papal approval, symbolised by the gift of a consecrated banner, followed lobbying by his allies, most notably Lanfranc, the Italian-born abbot of Caen who presented Harold Godwinson’s coronation as a betrayal of a sworn oath. This claim was later immortalised in the Bayeux Tapestry.
The legitimacy of William’s claim rested on two alleged promises: one by Edward the Confessor to leave him the throne of England, and another by Harold Godwinson to support William’s succession. When Harold nevertheless had himself crowned king in January 1066, William prepared to enforce his claim by arms.
Harold’s forces first faced an invasion by the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada, whom Harold defeated at the bloody Battle of Stamford Bridge (25 September 1066). However, the victory left Harold’s army exhausted and weakened. Three weeks later, on 14 October, Harold’s army confronted William’s invasion force at Hastings.
The Battle of Hastings[]
The Battle of Hastings was one of the pivotal encounters of the Middle Ages. William demonstrated tactical flexibility, combining infantry, cavalry, and archery in repeated assaults against Harold’s shield wall. Feigned retreats by Norman cavalry, whether planned or opportunistic, proved decisive, luring English troops from their defensive line. Harold was killed late in the battle, reputedly by an arrow to the eye, and the English army collapsed. William’s victory not only secured him the English crown but also altered the course of English and European history.
Subjugation of England[]
William’s conquest did not end at Hastings. Over the next five years, he faced repeated uprisings across England, notably in the north. His response was often brutal. The most infamous was the Harrying of the North (1069–70), when Norman forces laid waste to Yorkshire and Durham to suppress rebellion and deter Viking intervention. Chroniclers describe widespread famine and devastation.
To consolidate his rule, William redistributed vast estates to his Norman followers, built castles to enforce military dominance, and commissioned the Domesday Book (1086), an unprecedented survey of land and resources that demonstrated the administrative reach of his new regime. The Norman Conquest reshaped England’s aristocracy, language, church, and legal institutions.
Later Years and Rule[]
Though king of England, William spent most of his later years in Normandy, where he continued to wage wars against French rivals and manage his continental dominions. His reign was marked by tensions with his eldest son, Robert Curthose, whom he made Duke of Normandy, while entrusting England to his second surviving son, William Rufus.
In July 1087, William was injured during the siege of the French-held town of Mantes. His horse reportedly stumbled amid burning ruins, inflicting internal injuries. He was carried to Rouen, where he died on 9 September 1087 at the age of sixty. His burial at the abbey of Saint-Étienne in Caen was marked by disorder, as even his funeral was interrupted by disputes over land.
On his deathbed, William divided his dominions: Normandy went to Robert, while England was granted to William Rufus. This division laid the groundwork for decades of rivalry between his heirs.
Gallery[]
| King of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Harold Godwinson |
1066 - 1087 | Succeeded by: William II of England |
| Duke of Normandy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Robert I of Normandy |
1035 - 1087 | Succeeded by: Robert Curthose |