William the Conqueror, Always Getting the Job Done

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Even though William the Conqueror descended from a line of Vikings who had lived in France for over 200 years, William had more of an impact on the English language than the majority of influential English people of the time. The “French-speaking Normans brought a whole new vocabulary to England, whose language was closely related to German”(Barlow 8). Although he is most well known for the Norman invasion of 1066 that overthrew the Anglo Saxon reign, which had lasted for over six centuries, William was a very religious man. He was moral and righteous by the standards of the time, and devoted much of his time to the Norman church.
William was born in 1028 and was the only son of Duke Robert I of Normandy, who later died on a voyage to Jerusalem. After his father’s death in 1035, he was knighted at the age of fifteen and the Norman magnates accepted William as duke even though he was an illegitimate child; he was actually known as William the Bastard. This caused William serious problems later in life and he had to overcome several massive obstacles, one of which was surviving numerous rebellions. William relied heavily on King Henry I of France and his mother for protection. He faced substantial difficulty maintaining control over Normandy, but by his early twenties, he emerged a powerful leader. Many writers agree that William was average in height but stocky in composure. He had a bass voice and he was exceptionally strong, fierce, intelligent, and he showed great respect for his rivals.
William then gathered an army to protect his estate. He launched a series of wars against rival barons, which lasted over a decade. He also joined King Henry I and defeated an alliance of Normans who had opposed his rule. “He was always ready ...

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...d and the Norman church will forever change the course of human history and he will remain one of the most important figures of the medieval time period. He gradually transformed his duchy into a powerful military and political power and he further established and strengthened the ability of the church. He also introduced the Norman legacy of building castles, including the Tower of London. Castles now cover the British landscape as a symbol of his rein as conqueror and king.

Works Cited

Barlow, Frank. “Britannica School.” Britannica School. Britannica, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

Grossman, Mark. “William I the Conqueror.” Fofweb.com. Facts On File, 2007. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

Schlager, Neil, and Josh Lauer. “William the Conqueror.” Galegroup.com. Gale Group, 1 Feb. 2001. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
“Domesday Book.” BritannicaSchool.com. Britannica, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

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