edithcrushing:

H I S T O R I C  O T P S // Matilda of Flanders + William the Conqueror

She was an extremely well-educated and beautiful high-borne lady, the niece and granddaughter to kings of France. Her features, according to chroniclers, were refined, delicate, her body graceful, and her head well-set. He, on the other hand, was the bastard son to the Duke of Normandy, a descendent of vikings, rugged, tall, and rough albeit healthy and handsome. His voice was said to be guttural and his skill as a horseman and a fighter unmatched. Medieval writers criticized William for his greed and cruelty, his relentless onslaughts, but universally praised him for his personal piety; while hard and unforgiving on the outside with his wife Matilda - and only her - he was by all accounts an affectionate and devoted husband, never recorded to have taken a mistress or fathered any children but that of the ten he sired with Matilda. 

According to legend, William had fallen deeply in love with Matilda when he first saw her at the French court. He was said to have been so passionately enamored by her that he would’ve done anything to obtain her, and his pride  was greatly slighted when his marriage proposal was rejected due to his “bastard” origins. After hearing this response, William rode from Normandy to Bruges, found Matilda on her way to church, dragged her off her horse by her long braids, and threw her down in the street in front of her flabbergasted attendants before riding off. Another version of the story states that William rode to Matilda’s father’s house in Lille, threw her to the ground in her room (again, by her braids), and hit her (or violently battered her) before leaving. Naturally, Matilda’s father took offense at this but, before they could draw swords, Matilda settled the matter by refusing to marry anyone but William; even a papal ban by Pope Leo IX at the Council of Reims on the grounds of consanguinity did not dissuade her.  Despite the rather violent nature of their meeting, William and Matilda went on to have a successful and happy marriage. William was especially proud of his wife. He made sure that he would take her with him on royal tours of his dominions, showing her off to his subjects. 

Matilda’s death plunged William into deep depression. It was said that after her death, he became tyrannical, and people blamed it on his having lost her. He no longer went hunting, which was his favorite sport. After four long years of mourning and grief, he too died, and was buried next to his wife for eternity. (x) (x)

marthajefferson:

fancast: Vincent Cassel as William the Conqueror

William I (William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, for he was a ‘natural’ child) was born in the Normandy region of France in 1027 or 1028. His father was Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and his mother, Herleva of Falaise. After the death of his father in 1035, William became the Duke of Normandy at the age of seven. At age 15, the young duke was made a knight by King Henry I of France. Four years later, with the help of King Henry, William engaged in his first military battles and successfully secured control of Normandy by defeating a band of rebel Norman barons at the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047. In 1053, William married his cousin, Matilda of Flanders, and together, had ten children.
In January of 1066, William claimed the throne of England when his cousin, Edward the Confessor died. Although William claimed the throne, the assembly of England’s top nobles had proceeded in coronating Harold Godwinson as the next King of England. Amidst the swirling controversy, William obtained the support of the Pope and assembled a large army of Norman warriors and built a castle near Hastings to assert his power. In addition, William began plundering the area, which was a direct insult to Harold Godwinson, who maintained an estate there. Harold immediately assembled a large army and engaged the Normans in what came to be known as the Battle of Hastings. William’s army of Normans routed Harold’s army. Harold himself was killed, by some accounts, from an arrow through the eye. The Norman Conquest was complete, and William was officially coronated as the King of England on Christmas Day of 1066 at Westminster Abbey. William quelled any resistance to his reign by plundering land in the north of England (known as the Harrying of the North).
During his reign as King, William ordered the building of numerous bridges and castles, including the Tower of London. The Norman language replaced English as the language used by the ruling class. English was not restored for nearly 300 years. In addition, nearly all land and public office positions were given to Normans. In 1087, William either fell ill or was injured by the pommel of his saddle after a fall off one of his horses, and died on september 9. His son, William Rufus succeeded him as King of England.