William the Conqueror was a descendant of the Viking chieftain Rollo, whose Norse origins are unknown, but his name suggests that he was either Norwegian or Danish. William's campaign was successful and King Harold was defeated and killed on October 14, 1066 at the Battle of Hastings 10 months after having assumed the throne. 1028 -1087), was king of England and Duke of Normandy. Here are 10 facts about the man and his rise to power. 5. William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings against the King Harold & his army. Born out of wedlock circa 1028 to Robert I, … William the Conqueror (or William I) ruled over England for twenty one years and over Normandy for fifty two. The youngest son of William the Conqueror, Henry was an arch politician, skillfully manipulating the English barons and drawing on an extensive network of spies and informants. by Alex Carter. He is recorded among the Vikings that besieged Paris in 885—886 AD, and later became the first ruler of Normandy, a region in northern France. William died in 1100 after being struck by an arrow whilst hunting, and some historians suspect he was murdered. William the Conqueror was just that, a conqueror, a man after power and money. Castles. 1. Here are 10 interesting facts about William I, the Norman king of England. William I, duke of Normandy (as William II) from 1035 and king of England from 1066, one of the greatest soldiers and rulers of the Middle Ages. It took nearly two weeks for … He became Duke of Normandy in his childhood and later carried out the audacious conquest of England which changed the country forever. William the Conqueror began life as William the Bastard, the illegitimate son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy. Robert died during his return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, leaving the 8-year-old William as his heir. Who was a better king, Henry II or William the Conqueror? 3. The new king was responsible for the Domesday Book. William, who was also known as William the Conqueror, was made King of England at a coronation ceremony that took place at Westminster Abbey, London on Christmas Day, 1066. William made himself the mightiest noble in France and then (as William the Conqueror) changed the course of England’s history by his conquest of that country. William successfully gained the support of the French king, Henry I, and ascended to his father's office. So, we no longer have any really good evidence for a cheerful, affable William the Conqueror. Although, he was the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy Robert the Magnificent (also called “Robert the Devil”), after his father’s death in 1035, William was named his successor at […] William I of England, better known as William the Conqueror, overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the most influential kings in British history. 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