William the Conqueror

Description

Fifteen years in the making, a landmark reinterpretation of the life of a pivotal figure in British and European history In this magisterial addition to the Yale English Monarchs series, David Bates combines biography and a multidisciplinary approach to examine the life of a major figure in British and European history. Using a framework derived from studies of early medieval kingship, he assesses each phase of William’s life to establish why so many trusted William to invade England in 1066 and the consequences of this on the history of the so-called Norman Conquest after the Battle of Hastings and for generations to come. A leading historian of the period, Bates is notable for having worked extensively in the archives of northern France and discovered many eleventh- and twelfth-century charters largely unnoticed by English-language scholars. Taking an innovative approach, he argues for a move away from old perceptions and controversies associated with William’s life and the Norman Conquest. This deeply researched volume is the scholarly biography for our generation. Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication CONTENTS PLATES PREFACE ABBREVIATIONS Map Plates PROLOGUE WRITING A LIFE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR Chapter 1 THE FIRST YEARS THE SON OF A CONCUBINE ROBERT AND HERLEVA THE RULE OF DUKE ROBERT NORMANDY, ENGLAND, AND THE NORTH SEA WORLD THE CHILD WILLIAM Chapter 2 FROM CHILDHOOD INTO ADOLESCENCE CONSTRUCTING A NARRATIVE PUTTING WILLIAM’S MINORITY IN PERSPECTIVE THE RULE OF THE CHILD EDWARD, KING OF THE ENGLISH THE RULE OF THE ADOLESCENT THE YEAR OF VAL-ÈS-DUNES THE JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD Chapter 3 THE SHAPING OF THINGS TO COME THE AFTERMATH OF VAL-ÈS-DUNES THE COUNCIL OF RHEIMS AND THE PROPOSED MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM AND MATILDA THE ENGLISH CRISIS OF 1051–2 AND THE MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM AND MATILDA ALENÇON AND DOMFRONT Chapter 4 THE MAKING OF A REPUTATION FAMILY MATTERS WILLIAM OF ARQUES AND THE WARS OF 1053–4 THE DEPOSITION OF ARCHBISHOP MALGER FROM MORTEMER TO VARAVILLE (1054–7) ENGLAND IN THE 1050s NORMANDY AND NORTHERN FRANCE, 1057–60 THE CAEN ABBEYS THE MAKING OF A REPUTATION Chapter 5 ON TO THE ATTACK THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC RULE IN NORMANDY, 1060–3 THE CONQUEST OF MAINE THE CONQUEST OF MAINE AND THE POLITICS OF NORTHERN FRANCE RULING MAINE, 1063–6 WILLIAM, HAROLD, AND THE ENGLISH SUCCESSION THE BRETON CAMPAIGN RULE IN NORMANDY, 1063–6 ON THE EVE OF 1066 Chapter 6 THE YEAR OF VICTORY THE RULE OF KING HAROLD PREPARATIONS FOR INVASION THE CHANNEL CROSSING THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS FROM HASTINGS TO CORONATION Chapter 7 KING OF THE ENGLISH INTERPRETING THE FIRST YEARS OF WILLIAM’S ENGLISH KINGSHIP THE FIRST WEEKS OF KINGSHIP THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO NORMANDY THE RETURN TO ENGLAND CAMPAIGNS AND CEREMONY (JANUARY–MARCH 1068) MATILDA’S CORONATION Chapter 8 VICTORY TRANSFORMED THE FIRST ENGLISH REVOLTS A SHORT VISIT TO NORMANDY THE GREAT CRISIS OF 1069–70 THE ‘HARRYING OF THE NORTH’ 1068–70: AN ASSESSMENT Chapter 9 FROM CRISIS TO TRIUMPH PERSONAL AND FAMILY MATTERS AFTER THE HARRYING OF THE NORTH THE PAPAL LEGATES’ VISIT AND THE RESHAPING OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH IN 1070 NORMANDY AND NORTHERN FRANCE, 1070–1 THE CONQUEST COMPLETED WRITING CONQUEST THE CONSOLIDATION OF EMPIRE THE YEAR 1074 Chapter 10 CROSS-CHANNEL RULE 1075: ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES ENGLAND, 1075–6: THE REVOLT OF THE THREE EARLS AND OTHER BUSINESS 1075 TO 1077: NORMANDY AND NORTHERN FRANCE THE QUARREL WITH ROBERT CURTHOSE RULING ENGLAND AS AN ABSENTEE, 1078–80 NORMANDY, MAINE, AND NORTHERN FRANCE, 1078–80 THE WIDER WESTERN WORLD Chapter 11 POLITICAL CONSOLIDATION AND PERSONAL LOSS GREGORY VII’S REQUEST FOR FEALTY STABILIZING THE BRITISH ISLES (1080–1) NORMANDY, MAINE, AND NORTHERN FRANCE, 1081–2 ENGLAND, 1082–3, AND THE ARREST OF BISHOP ODO OF BAYEUX THE YEAR 1083 AND MATILDA’S DEATH Chapter 12 THE FINAL YEARS 1084 AND 1085 IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND GREGORY VII’S LAST YEARS AND THE WIDER EUROPEAN WORLD THE DOMESDAY SURVEY AND ENGLAND IN 1086 THE RETURN TO NORMANDY (1086–7) Chapter 13 DEATH AND LEGACY DEATH AND BURIAL KING, DUKE, AND THE MAKER OF EMPIRE THE LONG TERM EPILOGUE BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX