378220548. King William the Conqueror & 378220549. Queen Matilda of Flanders
1027,
William the Bastard born in Falaise, France, natural s/o 756441096. Robert I
of Normandy & 756441097. Mistress Harleve
of Falaise.
1030,
William 1st named in documents of his father.
7/20/1031, Henry I became King of France on the
death of his father.
~1033,
Matilda born in Flanders, d/o 756441098. Baldwin V of Flanders &
756441099. Adela Capet.
1033, William
acknowledged by his father as his heir.
1/1035,
William’s father, leaving on pilgrimage, sent William to the court of King
Henry I of France in Paris.
7/3/1035,
William’s father, Robert the Magnificient, died.
1035,
William, still in France, proclaimed Duke of Normandy by Alan, duke of
Brittany, the regent of Normandy.
1035, An
embassy of knights sent to get William in Paris was sent away by King Henry.
Eventually King Henry relented and William was returned with an entourage of
knights led by Theroulde, his tutor.
11/12/1035, King Canute of England died, naming
his son Hardicanute by Emma, William’s aunt, as his heir. Hardicanute remained
in Denmark, and England split, the south loyal to Hardicanute, the north loyal
to Harold, Hardicanute’s half brother.
3/16/1037,
William’s granduncle, Robert, archbishop of Rouen, and a key supporter, died.
1039, King
Henry summoned Duke William to Evreux to do homage, and forced to give up his
fortress at Tellieres. William left the court and returned to Falaise.
1040, Alan
of Brittany died; and William’s wardship given to Gilbert of Brionne. [A
succession of guardians died – William is said to have been raised by William
fitz Osbern, Roger de Beaumont, and Roger de Montgomery.]
1040, Hardicanute became king of both Denmark and
England.
2/24/1041, Duke William confirmed to the abbey of Le Bec the grants of
various donors on the day of the dedication of the monastery.
1042, Duke William, legislating in Normandy, declared there to be no
fighting between the Rogation days and the Octave of Pentacost. (S) History of
the Crusades, V1, Runciman, 1951, P86.
6/1042, Hardicanute died.
4/3/1043, William’s cousin, Edward the Confessor, became King of
England.
1044, Guy of
Burgundy organized a conspiracy against Duke William and nearly captured him at
Valognes.
1046, King
Henry of France vested William as a knight.
8/1047,
William, duke of Normandy, age 20, with the help of King Henry I of France,
suppressed a revolt of his vassals at the battle of Val-es-Dunes near Caen on
the river Orne. The revolt was led by Guy de Brionne of Burgundy.
10/1047 near
Caen, William at an ecclesiastical council, William implemented the “Truce of
God”, a Catholic church movement began in 989 to prevent violence during
communal gatherings. William in his declaration prohibited fighting
Thursday–Sunday, and during Advent, Lent, Easter and Pentecost.
1048 at
Senlis, Duke William and Count Baldwin attested a charter of King Henry of France.
1048, Duke
William accompanied King Henry on a campaign against Count Geoffrey of Anjou.
(S) William: King and Conqueror, Hagger, 2012, P182.
[––William
& Matilda––]
1049,
William’s marriage to Matilda arranged.
1049, King
Henry, with the support of Duke William, captured Mouliherne near Angers in
Anjou against the forces of Geoffrey Martel, who was allied with the Belleme
family in taking lands on the southern border of Normandy.
10/1049,
Pope Leo IX forbade the marriage of William and Matilda.
1049-50,
William’s half-brother Odo appointed the archbishop of Rouen.
[––William
& Matilda––]
1049-50 at
Eu, William married to Matilda [supposedly when each agreed to the founding of
a monastery in Caen]. William’s mother Herleva and his step-father Herluin de
Conteville were in attendance.
1050,
William besieged Guy de Brionne of Burgundy at his castle and forced him into
exile [but soon pardoned.]
1050,
Matilda witnessed a charter to the abbey of St.-Wandrille in Normandy.
1051,
William, in England [supposedly in London], was made his heir by Edward the
Confessor. William wrote to the French Duke informing him of the agreed upon
succession. [This was in conflict with English law of the time which require an
assembly of nobles to select a King’s successor.]
1051,
William began a siege of Domfront, held for Geoffrey Martel of Anjou.
1051,
William left the siege of Domfront and captured the town of Alencon. [William
had 32 townspeople’s hands and feet cut off.]
1051,
William imprisoned Hakon, nephew of Harold Godwinson [future king of England.]
1052,
William finally captured Domfront. (S) Rougledge Companion, Bradbury, 2004,
P157.
1052,
William unsuccessfully sought a truce with King Henry of France.
9/20/1052 at
Vitry-aux-Loges, William at King Henry’s court.
1053,
William spent the year suppressing insurrections; especially against Mauger,
archbisop of Rouen [uncle of William].
10/25/1053,
Forces loyal to Duke William defeated forces of King Henry near Saint-Aubin,
who were attempting to reach Arques.
1053,
Matilda named as Duke William’s consort in a charter in favor of Holy Trinity
church, Rouen.
1053,
William captured Arques and exiled William, count of Arques [uncle of William].
2/1054,
William had to repel the forces of King Henry I of France invading Normandy
from the east, while the King’s brother Odo invaded from the west. William
divided his forces and took his part against King Henry. Vassals including
Robert, count of Eu; Walter Giffard, Roger de Mortimer, and William de Warren
opposed the other army.
1054, Hugh
de Gournay one of the leaders of the army of Duke William at the battle of
Mortemer. (S) Guernsey and Jersey Magazine, Vs3-4, 1837, P170. [Other leaders
were William de Warrenne and Walter Giffard.]
1054, In
response to the invasion, William built a castle at Ambrieres in northern
Maine; and captured the castle of Geoffrey of Mayenne, who was allied with
Geoffrey Martel.
1055,
William summoned a convocation of bishops at Lisieux at which he accused Mauger,
archbisop of Rouen, of crimes and misdemeanours.
5/1055,
Maurilius, not a Norman native, brought from Fecamp by Duke William, became the
archbishop of Normandy.
1055-56,
William disinherited William Warlenc, count of Mortain, and created his
half-brother Robert as the comte.
8/1057,
William had to repel the forces of King Henry I of France invading Normandy
with Geoffrey Martel. King Henry was defeated at the battle of Varaville.
William had waited until the invading forces were half on each side of a
bridge to launch a surprise attack on one half.
1058, Duke
William and Harold the Saxon visited Mont Saint Michel. (S) Sacred Places in
Europe, 2007, P101.
1058,
William again retaliated for the invasion by taking Tillieres and Thimert near
Dreux.
6-8/1058,
King Henry made a final brief campaign into Normandy and began a siege of
Thimert; which continued into the next year.
[––William
& Matilda––]
1059 at the
2nd Lateran Council, Pope Nicholas II sanctioned the marriage of
William and Matilda.
1060, William
erected the fortress of Le Chateau de Caen. (S) Frommers’s France, 2009, P307.
8/4/1060, King Henry I of France died; succeeded by
King Philip I, age 8.
1060-61,
William’s rival to the west, Geoffrey Martel, count of Anjou, died. [Succeeded
by a minor.]
1061,
William confirmed a grant of his father to the monks of St. Michael. (S)
History of … Gurensey, Berry, 1815, P115.
Aft. 3/1062,
William invaded the county of Maine [south of Normandy] after the death of
Herbert II, his son Robert bethrothed to a sister of Herbert. [William had
control of Maine by 1064.]
1062,
William founded the Abbaye aux Hommes at Caen. (S) Great Architecture, Norwich,
2001, P275.
1063,
William and Matilda designated their son Robert “elected by his parents to
govern the regnum after them.”
1063,
William consecrated the cathedral of Caen to the Holy Virgin, in presence
of his queen and court.
1064,
William invaded Brittany [a peninsula southeast of Normandy] with the support
of the Earl of Wessex. They captured the town of Dol held by Conan II of
Brittany.
1064,
Earl Harold Godwinson of Wessex and Hereford, shipwrecked off France, was taken
to Duke William at Beaurain, who made him swear to his succession as King of
England. Harold then joined William in battle against Conan II, duke of
Brittany. (S)
Bayeux Tapestry.
1065, Duke
William nominated Arnold as bishop-elect of Le Mans.
1/5/1066,
Kind Edward the Confessor of England died without a male heir. Harold Godwinson elected King.
3/20/1066, Haley’s comet appeard in the sky at its
closest point to earth, and was interpreted as an evil omen.
1066,
William held a council at Lillebonne to plan the invasion of England. William
then built his invasion fleet of 700 ships and raised his army.
5/1066,
Philip, age 14, assumed his role as King of France.
1066,
Mathilde founded the Abbaye aux Dames at Caen. (S) Great Architecture, Norwich,
2001, P275.
9/1066, Duke
William on the eve of the invasion had his son Robert confirm to the abbey of
Marmoutier all the property which he himself had given. Witnesses: Roger de
Montgomery, William fitz Osbern, William his son, Roger de Beaumont, Hugh de
Grandmesnil, …
9/27/1066,
William sailed from Valery-sur-Somme, landing at Pevensey Bay in England. Several
ships were lost to a storm.
9/28/1066,
Arriving, William immediately occupied Hastings in Sussex.
10/14/1066,
William defeated and killed King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. This was followed by the submission of Dover
and Canterbury the same month.
10/25/1066,
in London at Westminster, William
crowned King of England. [The coronation had to be performed in Saxon
and French. The soldiers guarding the ceremony outside were confused by the
voices, and believing a dire event had taken place, set fire to nearby
buildings. The crowd rush out to safety – hastening the ceremony.]
1066,
William began the construction of the Tower of London [at this time just a
large castle.]
2/1067 from
Penvensy, King William returned to Normandy, taking hostages including Edgar
Atheling (638797314) and Waltheof of Northumberland (639664242). William left
Odo, bishop of Bayeux, earl of Kent, as regent. [Odo’s rule led quickly to open
rebellion in Kent, Hereford and Exeter.]
4/8/1067 at
Fecamp, King William held ‘the most splendid
royal court ever seen in France in recent years.’ (S) The Normans,
Crouch, 2006, P98.
1067, King William
announces that the city of London shall enjoy all the rights which it had in
the time of King Edward.
9/1/1067,
Matilda’s father died.
12/1067,
William was back in England ending the revolt; and besieging Exeter. Exeter
fell after an 18-day siege.
5/1068 at
Winchester, Matilda crowned Queen of England. Matilda [pregnant at the time]
was given her own crown, sceptre, and coronation ring [which she left to her
foundation at Caen on her death.]
1068,
Matilda remained in England where her son Henry was born [the other sons born
in Normandy.]
1068,
William travelled through England building castles. Nottingham was assigned to
William Peverel, and Warwick to Henry de Beaumont. [Record of Odericus:
‘William surveyed the most unaccessible points in the country, and selecting
suitable spots, fortified them against the enemy’s incusions.’]
1068,
William returned to Normandy.
1069, Edward
Aetheling with of King Sweyn of Denmark attacked York, Exeter and Shrewsbury.
Edward was proclaimed King by his supporters in York.
2-4/1069,
Back in England, King William devastated the city of York and burned the
countryside.
4/1069, The
city of Le Mans in Normandy revolted with the support of Azzo, lord of Este.
The seneschal of King William was killed.
9/1069, The
King of Denmark invaded and occupied York. King William again marched north and
defeated the rebels.
12/25/1069,
William celebrated Christmas in the ruins of York.
4/1070,
William, having suppressed the revolts around England, returned to London to
celebrate Easter and have a ceremonial coronation performed by papal legates.
1070,
William founded Battle Abbey at the sight of the battle of Hastings.
1070, King
Malcolm of Scotland invades northern England.
2/1071, King
William lost Flanders to Robert le Frison; and his friend William fitz Osbern
was killed in the fighting.
1071,
William defeated a rebellion of Earl Edwin and Morcar in the north of England.
1071-72,
King William returned to Normandy where he met his half-brother, Odo of
Bayeaux.
4/1072, King
William was back in England attending an ecclesiastical council at Winchester.
5/1072, Both
William and Matilda signed the Accord of Winchester, establishing the primacy
of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York [William was
concerned about the allegiance of a northern archbishop.]
1072 at
Stirling, King Malcolm’s army met William the Conqueror’s who was invading
Scotland. William’s was so much larger that Malcolm chose homage over battle.
[The beginnings of England’s claim to the throne of Scotland.]
8/1072 at
Abernethy, Malcolm perfomed homage to King William.
1073,
William returned to Normandy to deal with an invasion in Maine by Fulk le
Rechin, count of Anjou.
3/30/1073,
William ended his campaign in Maine with the capture of Le Mans.
1073,
William made a trip back to England, and then back to Normandy. William left
Richard fitz Gilbert and William de Warren as his lieutenants in England.
4/4/1074,
Letter from Pope Gregory VII to Matilda: “Gregory, bishop, servant of the
servants of God, to Matilda, queen of the English, greetings and apostolic
blessing … Urge your husband, do not cease to suggest useful things to his
soul. …, a believing husband can be made better by a believing wife.” (S)
Epistolæ.
1074,
William on an extended stay in Normandy.
1074, Edgar
Aetheling made peace with King William. King William sent for Edgar and brought
him to Normandy [where Edgar would spend several years.] (S) Conqueror,
Freeman, 1907, P163.
4/1075,
William and Matilda held their Easter court at Fecamp where their eldest
daughter Cecily took the veil.
1075 in
England, the revolt of the Earls: Ralph de Gael of Norfolk, and Roger de
Breteuil of Hereford. Waltehof of Northumberland was also implicated. [Ralph de
Waer led a plot against the life of King William. Waltheof declined to be
involved in the plot, but also declined to betray them. Waltheof was executed
the next year.]
9/1075,
William returned to England leaving Matilda as regent in Normandy.
12/25/1075,
William celebrated Christmas at Winchester [then dealt with the rebellion, and
then returned to Normandy.]
4/1076, King
William attended an ecclesiastical council at Winchester.
1076,
William established a mint at Pevensey. (S) Village Walks in Britain, Smith,
1997, P121.
9/1076,
William advanced into Brittany, besieging the castle at Dol held by Ralph de
Gael, earl of Norfolk. King Philip arrived and forced William to give up the
siege. [The 1st major defeat of King William.]
1077, King
William of England and King Philip of France made a peace agreement. King William
allowed his eldest son Robert to begin to call himself Duke of Normandy. [This
led to a brawl between sons Robert, William, and Henry at Laigle.]
9/1077, King
William & Maud founded St. Stephens of Caen, France.
4/4/1078,
Letter from Pope Gregory VII to King William I of England. (S) Pope Gregory
VII, Cowdrey, 1998, P622.
1078,
William constructed the White Tower at his castle which became known as the
Tower of London.
1078,
William’s son Robert led an insurrection in Normandy of young barons. William
attacked and drove them from their base at castle Remalard. King Philip gave
them the castle of Gerberoi. William the besieged that castle.
1/1079, At a
battle in Vexin [Gerberoi], William was unhorsed and wounded by his son Robert.
William had to lift his siege and retreated to Rouen. [William’s son William
was also wounded.]
1079, By
treaty at Gerberoi, with King William, King Philip acquired Vexin.
1079,
Matilda’s mother Adela died.
4/12/1080,
William and his son Robert made peace at the urging of Matilda. Robert was
guaranteed Normandy when William died.
5/8/1080, “Gregory,
bishop, servant of the servants of God to Matilda, queen of the English,
greetings and apostolic blessing. Having read the letters of your
noble-mindedness, we have understood with how faithful a mind you obey God. …”
(S) Epistolæ.
7/1080,
William and his son Robert returned to England to suppress a rebellion in the
north. [Robert was sent on the campaign.]
1080,
William presided over a council of prelates and barons at Lillebonne. (S) King
John, Warren, 1978, P95.
1081, A
papal embassay arrived asking William to declare fealty for England to the
pope, which William refused.
1081,
William, at the request of Queen Matilda, granted freedom from tools and
customs to the abbey of St. Mary and St. Aldhelm at Malmesbury.
1081,
William visited the shrine of St. David in Wales, and then returned to
Normandy.
1081, Fulk
of Anjou attacked La Fleche, taking the city. King William made a peace
agreement by which Fulk became overlord of Maine.
1082, King
William founded the Holy Trinity of Caen, France.
1082, Queen
Matilda granted the manors of Felsted, Essex, and Tarrant Launceston, Dorset,
to La Trinite.
1082,
William ordered the arrest of his half brother Odo, earl of Kent and bishop of
Bayeux. (S) King Stephen, King, 2010, P112.
1082,
William visited Gloucester.
7/1083,
Queen Matilda with King William and son Robert at Caen.
7/1083,
William’s son Robert again rebelled with the support of King Philip of France.
11/2/1083,
Queen Matilda died. [A grant to St. Etienne of her great-grandson in 1156
refers to “her last illness.”]
[––William––]
4/1084,
William celebrated Easter in Normandy.
6/19/1084,
King William at Rouen.
1084,
William spent extensive time preparing for an invasion of England by King
Canute IV of Denmark allied with Robert le Frison, earl of Flanders.
1085,
William visited Gloucester.
12/25/1085,
King William held his Christmas court at Gloucester.
1085-86,
William ordered a general survey of the lands and holders which became known as
the Domesday Book.
8/1086, The
first draft was completed and contained records for 13,418 settlements in the
English counties south of the rivers Ribble and Tees (the border with Scotland
at the time).
1087,
William sent a group to Constantinople and Nicaea to bring back his father’s
body. [While returning the group learned of William’s death and re-interred
Robert’s body in Italy.]
7/1087, King
William, extremely overweight and confined to bed at Rouen, was referred to by
King Philip at his court: “By my faith, the king of England is long lying-in;
there will doubtless be a ceremonious churching.” (S) History of the Norman
Conquest, Thierry, 1841, P130.
8/1087,
William led an expedition against Vexin after attacks by King Philip of France,
capturing Chaumont, Pontoise, and Mantes.
1087,
William wounded in a riding accident at the siege and burning of Mantes.
William was taken to Rouen.
9/9/1087,
William died at Saint-Gervais near Rouen; buried at St. Etienne, Caen.
(S) King
William the Conqueror, Evans, 1956. (S) The Capetians, Bradbury, 2007. (S)
Conqueror’s Son, Lack, 2007. (S) William the Conqueror, Douglas, 1999. (S)
Queen of the Conqueror, Borman, 2012. (S) Norman Conquest: Sources and
Documents, Brown, 1984. (S) Life of William the Conqueror, Roscoe, 1846.
Family notes:
Legend says William was so strong that no other man
could bend his bow.
8/6/1017, William’s uncle, Richard the Good, duke of
Normandy, died leaving William’s father as the heir.
Queen Matilda’s epitaph on her gravestone identifies
her father and mother, and brother as Henry, king of France, husband William
the King, and gives the date of her death.
Children
of William and Matilda:
i. Robert Curthose, born ~1050 in France. [Eldest
son]
1051, Robert
1st mentioned in a document of his father.
1079, Robert
rebelled against his father.
1080,
Robert, sent on an embassy to Scotland, became the godfather of Matilda, d/o
King Malcom III.
1087, Robert
inherited Normandy on his father’s death. [Robert released multiple persons his
father had imprisoned.]
1088, Robert
unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow his brother William in England.
9/1096, To
raise money for a crusade Robert mortgaged his duchy for 10,000 marks to his
brother William.
1097, Robert
attended the 1st crusade to the holy lands.
1099, On
returning from crusade, Robert married Sybilla de Brindisi, d/o Geoffrey
of Conversano.
1100,
Sybilla’s father died.
3/18/1103, Sybilla died; buried at Rouen.
9/23/1106, Robert opposed his brother King Henry I;
was captured at the battle of Tinchebrai, Normandy [and was imprisoned for 28
years in Devizes and later Cardiff castles].
1119, Lewis of France, Suzeraine of Normandy,
complained to the Pope about Robert’s long imprisonment.
8/3/1134, Robert, in the 28th year in of
imprisonment, died; buried in the abbey church of St. Peter in Gloucester.
Child: 10/25/1102, William Clito born in Normandy.
1116, William knighted by Baldwin, count of Flanders.
8/20/1119, William Clito lost his horse at the battle
of Bremule, the defeat of King Louis of France against King Henry of England.
1121, William married Sibyl, d/o Fulk V of Anjou &
Erembourg of Maine.
3/28/1127, William became the Count of Flanders.
7/28/1128, William died of a hand wound at the siege
of Alost in Flanders.
ii. Richard, born ~1055 in France.
1070,
Richard killed in a hunting accident in the same forest where his brother King
William Rufus would die.
iii. King William II, born ~1060 in Normandy.
1/1079, At a
battle in Vexin [Gerberoi], William supported his father against his brother
Robert.
9/26/1087,
William Rufus crowned King of England.
1088,
William’s barons rebelled in support of his brother Robert [who did not show up
to help.]
1090,
William invaded Normandy securing some of his brother Robert’s lands.
1091,
William invaded Scotland.
1091,
William and Robert ousted younger brother Henry from the Cotentin in France.
1094,
William invaded France again with the support of his brother Henry.
9/1096,
William became the temporary Duke of Normandy by paying for his brother Robert
to attend the crusade.
1097-99,
William campaigned in France.
8/2/1100,
William was killed while hunting [he was widely hated]; buried at Winchester.
iv. Adele of Normandy (756441989), born ~1067 in
England.
v. King Henry I Beauclerec (189110274), born 9/1068
Selby, Yorkshire, England.
No comments:
Post a Comment