CHAPTER VIII

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THE EARLY YEARS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 1028–1051.

§ 1. _Birth, Character, and Accession of William._ 1028–1035. Character and greatness of William; lasting results of his career 163–164 English and Norman portraits of him 165–166 His strength of will, military genius, statesmanship, and unscrupulousness as to means 166–167 His personal virtues; general excellence of his ecclesiastical appointments 167–168 Effects of his reign in Normandy, France, and England 168–169 General excellence of his government in Normandy 169–170 His reign in England; skill displayed in his claim on the English Crown, in his acquisition of it, and in his subsequent government 170–171 Severity of his police 171–172 The worst features of his character brought out in England; crimes and misfortunes of his later years 172–174 William’s surnames; the Great, the Conqueror, and the Bastard 174 Laxity of the Norman Dukes as to marriage and legitimacy; special illegitimacy of William 174–175 Story of William’s birth; description of Falaise; historical associations of the castle 175–177 English legend of the birth of William 177–178 1026–1028 Story of Robert and Herleva; advancement of her family; birth of William 178–180 Question of the succession; state of the Ducal family; various candidates, but none free from objection 180–182 Unpopularity of the prospect of William’s succession 182 The great Norman houses; their connexion with English history 182–183 Greatness and wickedness of the house of Belesme; crimes of William Talvas; he curses young William in his cradle 183–187 1034–1035 Robert announces his intention of pilgrimage 187 He proposes William as his successor; his succession unwillingly accepted 188–189 1035 Robert dies on pilgrimage and William succeeds 189 Childhood of William; necessary evils of a minority 189–191 Anarchy of the time; building of castles; frequency of assassinations 191–193 Effects of William’s government in Normandy 193

§ 2. _From the Accession of William to the Battle of Val-ès-dunes._ 1035–1047. Guardians of William; Alan of Britanny; Osbern; Gilbert 193–194 1039–1040 Murders of Alan and Gilbert 195 House of Montgomery; history of Roger of Montgomery and his wife Mabel 195–197 Attempt of William of Montgomery on Duke William at Vaudreuil; murder of Osbern; escape of the Duke; friendship of the Duke for William Fitz-Osbern 197–198 Rebellion and death of Roger of Toesny; houses of Grantmesnil and Beaumont 199 Ralph of Wacey chosen as the Duke’s guardian 200–201 Relations between Normandy and France; general good understanding since the Commendation to Hugh the Great; return of ill-feeling on the accession of William; ingratitude of King Henry 201–203 Castle of Tillières demanded by Henry; Gilbert Crispin refuses to surrender, and is besieged; the castle surrendered, burned, and restored by Henry contrary to his engagements 203–205 Treason of Thurstan Goz; capture of Falaise Castle by the Duke 205–207 Developement of William’s character 207–208 Abuse of ecclesiastical appointments by the Norman Dukes 208 Position of the Norman Prelates; their subjection to the Ducal authority 209 1037–1055 Death of Archbishop Robert; succession and primacy of Malger 209–210 1048–1098 Odo Bishop of Bayeux; his character in England and in Normandy 210–212 Ecclesiastical movement in Normandy; foundation of monasteries 213 Character of the monastic reformations in various ages 213–214 Abbeys of Bec and Saint Evroul 214–216 994–1034 Descent, birth, and early life of Herlwin 216–219 1034–1037 Herlwin’s foundation at Burneville 219 1037–1078 He removes the monastery to Bec; his administration 220–222 1005–1039 Descent, birth, and character of Lanfranc 222–225 1039–1042 He teaches at Avranches 225 1042–1045 He becomes a monk and Prior of Bec; his favour with William 225–227 1049–1050 He attends the synods of Rome and Vercelli 227 575 Monastery of Saint Evroul; history of its founder Ebrulf or Evroul 228–229 943 The house escapes the Danish ravages, but is plundered by Hugh the Great 229–230 The monastery forsaken and restored by Restold 230 c. 1015 Geroy and his family; their relations to the house of Belesme 230–232 William the son of Geroy blinded by William Talvas 232 1050 Saint Evroul restored by William the son of Geroy and his nephews Hugh and Robert of Grantmesnil 233 1050–1063 Succession of Abbots; intrigues and abbacy of the co-founder Robert 233–234 Connexion of the religious movement in Normandy with the Conquest of England 234 Origin of the Truce of God; custom of private war; comparison between the Truce and the Crusades 234–236 A reform in those times necessarily ecclesiastical 237 1034 The Truce first preached in Aquitaine 237–239 1041 The Truce preached in a relaxed form in Burgundy and Lotharingia 239–240 1042–1080 The Truce received in Normandy at the Councils of Caen and Lillebonne 240–241 1047 Wide spread conspiracy against William 241 Intrigues of Guy of Burgundy with the Lords of the Bessin and the Côtentin; scheme for a division of the Duchy 242–243 Geographical division of parties; Rouen and the French lands loyal; Bayeux and the Danish lands join in the rebellion 243–244 The rebel leaders; Neal of Saint Saviour 245 Randolf Viscount of Bayeux 246 Hamon Dentatus of Thorigny 246 Grimbald of Plessis 247 Attempt to seize William at Valognes; his escape 247–249 Progress of the rebellion; William seeks help of King Henry; probable motives of Henry for granting it 250–252 Battle of Val-ès-dunes; its importance in the life of William 252 Val-ès-dunes a battle between Romanized and Teutonic Normandy 253–254 Description of the field 254 Junction of the Ducal and French forces; Ralph of Tesson joins the Duke 255–257 The Battle a mere combat of cavalry 257–258 Personal exertions and overthrow of King Henry; death of Hamon 258–260 Exploits and good fortune of William 260–261 Defeat of the rebels; flight of Randolf; bravery of Neal 261–263 Escape of Guy; he defends himself at Brionne 263–264 1047–1050? Siege and surrender of Brionne; William’s treatment of the vanquished 264–267 Guy returns to Burgundy; fate of Grimbald 267–268 Establishment of William’s power in Normandy; supremacy of the French element confirmed 269–270

§ 3. _From the Battle of Val-ès-dunes to William’s Visit to England._ 1047–1051. The Counts of Anjou; their connexion with Normandy and England; characteristics of Angevin history 270–271 464 Saxon occupation of Anjou 271 870? Ingelgar first Count; legend of the origin of the family 271–273 888 Succession of Counts; Fulk the Red 273 938 Fulk the Good; his proverb about unlearned Kings 273–274 958 Geoffrey Grisegonelle; his wars 274 978 His services to King Lothar in the war with Otto 274 987 Fulk Nerra, warrior and pilgrim 274 992 His war with Odo of Chartres 274 1016 Battle of Pontlevois; defeat of Odo 274 1028–1035 Fulk’s pilgrimages to Jerusalem 275 1040 Geoffrey Martel; origin of his surname 276 April 22, Geoffrey imprisons William Duke of Aquitaine, 1033 marries Agnes, and rebels against his father 276–277 1033–1037 Last days of Odo of Chartres; his war with King Henry and attempt on the Kingdom of Burgundy 277 His sons Stephen and Theobald; their wars with King 1044 Henry and with Geoffrey; Geoffrey receives Tours from Henry and imprisons Theobald 277–278 1048 Duke William helps King Henry against Geoffrey; his personal exploits 279–280 Position of Maine under Geoffrey 280 1015–1036 Succession of Counts; Herbert Wake-the-Dog and Hugh 280 1048–1049 Fortresses of Domfront and Alençon; disloyalty of Alençon; it receives an Angevin garrison 281–282 William’s march to Domfront; traitors in the Norman camp 283–284 Geoffrey comes to relieve Domfront and decamps 284–286 William’s sudden march to Alençon; insults offered to him; his capture of the town and cruel vengeance 287–288 Domfront surrenders; William fortifies Ambières 289 Story of William the Warling; he is charged with treason by Robert the Bigod 290–291 Duke William makes him leave Normandy, and gives his county of Mortain to his own half-brother Robert 292 1049–1054 Prosperous condition of Normandy 293 1049–1053 William’s courtship and marriage with Matilda of Flanders 293 1051–1052 Condition of England 294 1051 William’s visit to England; estimate of him in English eyes 295 Eadward’s alleged promise of the Crown to William probably made at this time 296–301 Constitutional value of such a promise; its revocation in favour of Harold 301 Improbability of any other time for the promise 302–303 Nature of William’s claims 304 William’s visit an important stage in the history 305 March 6, Death of Ælfgifu-Emma 1052 306

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