William the Conqueror and the Normans
- The Normans are descendants of Vikings that settled in Northern France.
- Their leader Rollo, was granted the city of Rouen and the lands around it, which is Normandy, from the Frankish King Charles the Simple for fealty and loyalty.
- Rollo and his Viking kin were ancestors of the Normans, and Rollo specifically was the ancestor of Duke William of Normandy who would later become King William the Conqueror of England.
- William was born the bastard of Duke Robert of Normandy, but was recognized by his father and the King Henry I of France as his rightful heir.
- Duke Robert died after getting sick in the Holy Lands, leaving seven year old William, as the new Duke of Normandy.
- Because of his bastardy however he dealt with numerous claimants and revolts which he did overcome.
- Eventually, William would gain a claim to the Kingdom of England, which was promised to him by Edward the Confessor the previous king.
- When Edward died however, a power struggle occurred, William contested the thrones with two other Kings, the current king in the English Throne, Harold Godwinson who seized the throne after Edwards death, and King Harald Hardrada of Norway who also claimed the throne through his kinship with Cnut the Great, a former danish king of England.
- After Harold defeated Harald Hardrada and his forces at Stamford Bridge, he marched south to face William at Hastings.
- After a long and bloody battle, William was victorious, and with Harold slain on the battlefield, William took the English throne and would thereafter be known as William the Conquerer.
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