An interesting fact I would like to add before beginning this post is that William the Conqueror, the great warrior Duke and ruthless King of England, was illiterate. I am being incredibly judgmental about this because in actual fact many noblemen couldn't read or write at the time because they didn't have a need to. Literacy was seen as something only men of the cloth did, or other people who had jobs necessitating such things like clerks, etc. William was a warrior, he had men especially to read and write for him. His signature was simply a cross, as was his wife's and no doubt many other nobles, pictured on the right.So we left William defending his Duchy against many enemies like the French king, Geoffrey Martel, Count of Anjou, and others. Needless to say he defeated them all and defended the Duchy with the help of the people who would eventually sail with him to conquer England.
William's marriage is one I've admired since I heard about it. Matilda of Flanders was an impressive woman. The typical Victorian misinformation that has persisted is that she was only about 4 feet tall. In actual fact she is thought to be 5 feet, which although slightly on the small side today (the average height for a woman is 5 feet 3 inches) was probably not so in the 11th Century. It's so strange to think of a fully grown woman at 5 feet for me because I've never met anyone who was that height, and I'm 5 feet 7 inches so, just, wow.
I don't know if everyone is familiar with the infamous story of what happened between Matilda and William before their marriage. The Duke, obviously wishing to gain some allies in his constant warring with his neighbours, looked around for a suitable bride, and found one in the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders. Flanders was in what is now the north of Belgium, but at the time it was one of the most powerful lands in Europe and in a prime location for William to make an alliance with.
We all know that William was base born, or illegitimate, and it is reported by I don't know who that when the Duke was suggested as a bride for Matilda, the daughter of the Count of Flanders, she waved it off and said she was too high born to marry him. She was descended from Charlemagne and was related to the king's of France, so she was pretty noble. When William heard the way he had been refused he was understandably put out. There are two versions of this story but both have him jumping on the nearest horse and riding over the border to Flanders. One has him dragging her off a horse and throwing her to the ground, the other has him bursting into her bedroom and doing the same thing with the added bonus of beating her, using her braids as leverage (the fashion at this time was to have very long hair in two braids hanging down). Either way by modern standards this is abusive and not promising, but apparently Matilda thought it endearing as she quickly changed her mind and agreed to marry William. My thoughts on this? I really don't know what to think. On one hand by his show of strength, determination, and passion, I suppose he would be attractive, bar the beating if that is how it happened. If you were a woman living during the dangerous and unstable 11th Century Europe you would want someone who could protect you. On the other hand perhaps Matilda saw someone that would give her passion, excitement. William ended up respecting Matilda, but I don't think anyone could have gotten that vibe from the way he degraded her like he did, treating her like nothing more than a child. Perhaps it wasn't her decision at all. Even though it is said her father was furious at the treatment of his daughter, perhaps he knew too well the dangers William posed if he were to ever set his sights on Flanders. By this time he was gaining a reputation for being brutal, and this show no doubt ran home that reputation. Even though it is publicly recorded as the Count of Flanders being outraged, perhaps he secretly urged his daughter to agree, and being dutiful and possibly not really having a choice, she agreed. This is pure, unadulterated speculation, of course. No one will ever know why Matilda changed her mind and agreed to marry a man who supposedly stripped her of her dignity and literally knocked her from her high horse.
The Pope never actually gave a dispensation for them to marry at first, they had to wait until 1059 and show their piety by building two cathedrals in Normandy which can still be seen today. Their marriage was successful by all accounts, it has never been proven that William was unfaithful (due to the fact he produced no illegitimate offspring) and they had many children together.
Robert ([1051-1054]-1134), Duke of Normandy until 1106, referred to as "Curthose". If I remember correctly it means short hose or trousers, and was a derogatory name given by his father.
Richard (1054-1075): the second son of the couple who was one of many to die whilst hunting in the New Forest.
William Rufus ([1056-1060]-1100): Rufus was because he had red hair. Became King of England after his father, and died in New Forest whilst hunting.
*Robert's illegitimate son Richard also died whilst Hunting in New Forest at some time before but in same year as William Rufus. Really isn't the place to go hunting, is it?
Henry (1068-1135), eventual King of England and Duke of Normandy, and ancestor of the current royal line.
The daughters born to the couple aren't recorded in order because that just wasn't done in the time when sons were more important.
Agatha, betrothed twice but died unmarried.
Adeliza (or other variations) became a nun.
Cecilia, Abbess at Holy Trinity, Caen.
Matilda, very little is known about her and her identity is debatable.
Constance, married the Duke of Brittany.
Adela, married the Count of Blois and was the mother of King Stephen of England, the man who stole the English crown from Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, and started the Anarchy.
Another woman who birthed a lot of children. Unfortunately Matilda died in 1083, leaving no buffer between her volatile sons and their fearsome father. Apparently William, like some other monarchs would do, became worse after her death, as if she were his conscience and calm.
I'm going to split this into three parts so as not to bore you. Next week's installment will cover the infamous take-over of England, the last decades of William's life and what he has given the people of modern Britain.
And next is the final part III.
