EFL - Enciclopedia delle Famiglie Lombarde

Incoronato nella Cattedrale di Westminster il 24 dicembre 1066. http ://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLAND,%20Kings%201066-1603.htm GUILLAUM E de Normandie, illegitimate son of ROBERT II Duke of Normandy & his m istress Herlève --- (Château de Falaise, Normandy [1027/28]-Rouen, P rioré de Saint-Gervais 9 Sep 1087, bur Caen, Abbé de Saint-Etienne) . His birth date is estimated from William of Malmesbury, according t o whom Guillaume was born of a concubine and was seven years old whe n his father left for Jerusalem [1], and Orderic Vitalis, who states t hat he was eight years old at the time [2]. Deville suggests that Guil laume´s birthdate can be fixed more precisely to [mid-1027], taking i nto account that his father Robert occupied Falaise immediately afte r the death of his father Duke Richard II (23 Aug 1026), not wishing t o accept the authority of his older brother Duke Richard III, but tha t Robert´s stay was short as the two brothers were reconciled soon af ter, it being reasonable to suppose that Robert´s relationship with G uillaume´s mother occurred soon after his arrival at Falaise [3]. Acc ording to Orderic Vitalis, Alain III Duke of Brittany was appointed hi s guardian during his father's absence in 1035 [4]. He succeeded his f ather in 1035 as GUILLAUME II Duke of Normandy. He helped Henri I Kin g of France defeat Geoffroy II "Martel" Comte d'Anjou at Mouliherne i n [1045/55] [5]. It appears that Edward "the Confessor" King of Englan d acknowledged Guillaume as successor to the English throne on severa l occasions, maybe for the first time during his visit to England in 1 051 which is recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle [6]. Comte de Main e in 1063, after he conquered the county. In [1064/65], Duke Guillaum e interceded with Guy de Ponthieu Comte d'Abbeville to secure the rele ase of Harold Godwinsson from captivity in Normandy, in return for Har old's acknowledgement of Guillaume as successor to the English crown ( according to the portrayal of the event in the Bayeux tapestry). Harol d Godwinsson's visit to Normandy, and swearing allegiance to Duke Will iam, is recorded by William of Jumièges [7]. According to Eadmer of C anterbury, the reason for his visit was to negotiate the release of hi s brother Wulfnoth and nephew Haakon, both of whom had been hostages i n Normandy since 1051. On his deathbed, King Edward "the Confessor" be queathed the kingdom of England to Harold Godwinsson. Duke Guillaume b randed Harold a perjurer and appealed to Pope Alexander II for support . After receiving a papal banner in response to his request, William g athered a sizable army during summer 1066 in preparation for invasion . After some delay due to unfavourable weather conditions, the army se t sail for England from Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme 28 Sep 1066 [8]. Willi am defeated and killed King Harold at Hastings 14 Oct 1066 [9], marche d north to Canterbury, then west to Winchester where he captured the r oyal treasury. He proceeded to London where he was crowned 25 Dec 106 6 as WILLIAM I "the Conqueror" King of England at Westminster Abbey, p ossibly by Ealdred Archbishop of York who may have officiated becaus e of doubts concerning the validity of the appointment of Stigand as A rchbishop of Canterbury. The latter had received his pallium in 1058 f rom Pope Benedict X, later regarded as anti-Pope, an appointment whic h had not been regularised by Pope Alexander II. He was crowned agai n at Winchester 1070 with a Papal crown. After taking several years t o subdue the whole country, he imposed the Norman feudal structure an d rule everywhere with methodical and harsh persistence. The minute de scription of the country contained in the Domesday Book, completed i n 1086, enabled King William to create an effective tax base. He die d from wounds received at the siege of Mantes, having been injured int ernally after being thrown against the pommel of his saddle [10], leav ing Normandy to his eldest son Robert and England to his second surviv ing son William. Guillaume de Jumièges records the death of King Will iam at Rouen on 9 Sep and his burial at Saint-Etienne, Caen [11]. Flor ence of Worcester records the death "Id Sep V" of King William and hi s burial "Cadomi in ecclesia S Stephani Protomartyris" [12]. The ''Bre vis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris'' records that "Willelmus … Roberti filius" was buried "Cadomi in ecclesia beati Stephani" whi ch he had built [13]. [1] Sharpe, Rev. J. (trans.), revised Stephenso n, Rev. J. (1854) ''William of Malmesbury, The Kings before the Norma n Conquest'' (Seeleys, London, reprint Llanerch, 1989) III, 229, p. 21 7. [2] Chibnall, M. (ed. and trans.) ''The Ecclesiastical History o f Orderic Vitalis'' (Oxford Medieval Texts, 1969-80), Vol. III, Book V , p. 87, and Vol. IV, Book VII, p. 77. [3] Deville, M. A. ´Observati ons sur l´époque de la naissance de Guillaume le Conquérant´, ''M