William the Conqueror

When William I invaded England it was already an 'old and settled country' (Sir Frank Stenton). It had a very strong central government already and central governments are easy to take control of. William really didn't have to do a great deal, records were kept in the exchequer of what was owed to the king by whom, and with the continental feudal system replacing the Anglo Saxon government it was an almost seamless take over, at least for the ordinary man in the street.

William replaced one form of centralised government with another. All that had to be done was to continue doing what both sides had been doing for generations. The only particular action taken by any ruler to cement this was the compilation of Domesday Book, which could not have been done had the Anglo Saxon model of government not been as sophisticated as it had been - the first set of information, 'who held the land in the time of King Harold?' could not have been answered had such information not been to hand for the circuit judges who complied the survey.

Yes william the conqueror is edward the confessors 2nd cousin

Because he was related to the royal family that gave him power!!X

After the death of the last Norman King Henry the First, England knew a period of anarchy, commonly called as Reign of Stephen which lasted from1135 to1154.

They were some 19 years of a war of succession led by Stephen of Blois against Matilda, widow of the Emperor and wife of Robert, count of Anjou, nicknamed The Plantagenet.

As both the opposing parties couldn't prevail in the struggle, they reached a compromise: Stephen was to reign until his death and after then Matilda's son Henry was to come to the throne.

That happened in the year 1154. Henry become Henry the Second . With him began the Angevin's dynasty, also called the Plantagenet's dynasty.

The White Tower in the Tower of London.

Hunting was the favorite hobby of William of Normandy, or William the Conqueror. He was the King of England from 1066 to 1087.

Born around 1028, William was the illegitimate son of Duke Robert I of Normandy, and Herleve (also known as Arlette), daughter of a tanner in Falaise. Known as 'William the Bastard' to his contemporaries, his illegitimacy shaped his career when he was young.

King William III, joined with Mary II at the end of the 17th century as protestant monarchs in Britain. They replaced the deposed James II who was Catholic. Also known as Willem van Oranje, he led the Dutch to independence and religious freedom from Hapsburg Spain. Considered The George Washington of The Netherlands.

Harald Hardrada would have been a good king because he was French and he could speak different languages so people would like him, and he was very prepared for a war he was even a experienced warrior.Harold Godwinson had sworn on the saints bones that he will be king.

he promised to chop off his ear(he is picassos great grandad, it runs in the family)

In his native language, probably a dish such as "la pate a french poodle sur le french toast avec les french fries et le moutard de french's."

--Big Gus

Invaded England , soundly defeating king Harold's forces at the battle of Hastings.

People did want William to be King because he was the best soldier at the time and was good enough to defend hiscountryfrom enemy nations.

he gave an encouriging speech

All i know is the word 'Duvet' which is used nowadays.

he attacked england in the battle of hastings when he fought for the english crown and won. he later became known as william the conquerer

They introduced the feudal system.

There's always room for improvement, so please add more if you can.

New Language (french)

Domesday book

Motte and Bailey Castles

Concentric Castles

Cathedrals

1. He killed the head of the Anglo Saxon royal family, Harold II, in battle and sent the rest into exile. An Anglo Saxon monarch never reigned again.

2. He became the owner of England with the right to lease out parts to whom he wished. All previous owners were ignored.

3. In return for the right to occupy an area of land his subjects provided him with soldiers, weapons, money and food. The right to marry or to inherit was purchased from him. The Anglo Saxons based their armies on family loyalty.

4. He introduced a property tax. Domesday Book records the property of individuals.

5. He gave the majority of the larger landholdings to Frenchmen, Normans, Spaniards, Bretons and none to Anglo Saxons.

6. He made an Italian, Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Norman ,Archbishop of York.

7. He built numerous fortifications at strategic points, including some of stone (eg Dover and the Tower of London).

8. He opened England up to the wider world. Using English soldiers in his battles in France and sending some on the First Crusade to Jerusalem.

9. If anyone objected he didn't hesitate to use the harshest measures, as happened in the North of England. He fought his eldest son Robert for control of lands in France.

!0. Through his two younger sons and granddaughter the rule of this French- speaking, aggressive, yet fair, Norman princeling, over England, then Wales and Ireland, continued until Henry II, Plantagenet, chose a different direction.

He had 1500 archers, 2000 knights and about 4000 foot soldiers.

He spoke Norman French as did his courtiers.

Yes, he was a cousin to King Edward the Confessor, king of England prior to Harold.

He was thegreat nephewto Queen Emma of Normandy, who was the wife of two Kings, King Ethelred the Unready of England first and Canute the Great, Viking King of Denmark, England and Norway.

William I (the Conqueror) had 4 sons and either 5 or 6 daughters :

1. Robert

2. Richard

3. Adeliza (or Alice)

4. Cecilia(or Cecily)

5. William "Rufus"

6. Agatha

7. Constance

8. Adela

9. Henry "Beauclerc"

and possibly Matilda

(see related question)