History Extra Podcast: William the Conqueror – Life of the Week (September 1, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode of History Extra’s “Life of the Week,” host Emily Brifitts is joined by Emeritus Professor David Bates, a renowned expert on Norman history, to explore the dramatic life and legacy of William the Conqueror. The discussion traces William’s journey from his birth in the Duchy of Normandy through his controversial conquest of England and the long-lasting impact of his reign. The episode offers a fresh look at William’s personality, political skill, and the moral complexities of his actions, including the infamous “harrying of the North.”

Early Life: Norman Foundations & Family (00:47–06:04)

Normandy at William’s Birth

• Normandy in the late 1020s is an established territory with developing institutions and a Frankish/French identity, though memories of its Viking origins remain significant.
  • “Normandy at the time of William’s birth, which is either late in the year 1027 or early 1028 […] had an identity which was Frankish, French, if you like.” – Prof. David Bates (01:50)

William’s Parentage and Early Security

• William was the only son of Duke Robert and Herleva, who was of lower social status. Later chronicles describe the couple as emotionally close.
• Despite being “illegitimate” by later standards, William’s position was more secure than traditional Victorian narratives suggest. The validity of marriage and legitimacy was less rigidly defined in this era.
  • “I’m inclined to see William as the product of a secure background and, of course, who grew up well and was clearly very capable.” – Prof. Bates (05:57)

Childhood Challenges

• William’s father’s death in 1035 thrust him into the dukedom as a child, but local stability and protection from the older generation in Normandy prevented immediate threats to his rule.
• While sources later describe a troubled youth, Bates suggests real conflict was brief, largely around 1040–1042.

Ascent to Power: Rivalries and Alliances (06:04–13:28)

Regional Rivalries

• Surrounded by rival territories (Flanders, Anjou, Brittany, Ponthieu, Maine), Normandy required constant vigilance.
• William’s place was strengthened early on by support from the King of France during the 1047 conflict with his cousin Guy.

The Tumultuous 1050s

• The 1050s saw invasions led by former allies: the French King and Count of Anjou (1054, 1057). William’s marriage to Matilda of Flanders (despite papal objections) created a crucial alliance.
  • “Again, it’s interesting that William negotiated rather than defied.” – Prof. Bates (07:22)
• William’s alleged promise as Edward the Confessor’s successor dates from this period, entangling Norman and English destinies.

Military Prowess and Political Skills

• William demonstrated military acumen at the Battle of Varaville (1057). By the 1060s, rival leaders had died and been succeeded by children, shifting the balance of power in Normandy’s favor.
• William built a core group of loyalists (e.g., William FitzOsbern, Roger de Montgomery, Odo of Bayeux) who helped consolidate his authority and push aside rivals.

Personality and Private Life (13:28–18:14)

Marriage and Family

• William’s marriage to Matilda was both prosperous and politically effective; the couple had nine legitimate children, with Matilda playing a prominent role as consort and ruler in his absence.
  • “One thing that is very remarkable […] is that as far as we know, there were no illegitimate children, which for that period is very, very unusual.” – Prof. Bates (11:04)

William’s Character

• William was known for his dominance, zeal for the church, and surprising displays of emotion, such as dramatic public penance or mourning rebellious English lords.
  • “William’s response was to fall on his knees in front of the Archbishop and beg forgiveness. […] This is theatre, isn’t it?” – Prof. Bates (15:12)
  • “There’s another story of William bursting into tears when the severed head of the English Earl Edwin is brought to him.” – Prof. Bates (15:54)

Appearance and Leisure

• William was tall and strong; posthumous analysis of his thigh bone confirms his physical stature (16:19).
• His leisure activities included hunting—chroniclers even accuse him of pursuing it excessively—and entertainment by jesters (17:18).

The Claim and the Conquest (18:14–34:57)

The Claim to the English Throne

• William’s claim is ambiguous and hotly contested; contemporary and modern historians debate whether Harold or Edgar Ætheling had the stronger legal right.
  • “As far as I can go, I suspect that Harold was chosen because Edward […] reflecting this is an awful mess, Harold, you at least have a reputation for leading in war.” – Prof. Bates (18:14)

Oaths and Promises

• Harold met William in Normandy and swore an oath (under disputed circumstances) to support William’s claim. Contemporary accounts vary on the details, but William believed the oath binding (21:29).

Motives for Conquest

• William likely saw the throne as both a matter of personal honor and promised reward; his public preparations mingled religious symbolism with political and military readiness.
  • “I think it was almost a matter of personal honour. But also it is very striking that takeover in the English kingdom was a very risky enterprise.” – Prof. Bates (23:21)

Invasion and Aftermath

• Assembled a continental coalition for the invasion. The success of the conquest brought both rewards for his supporters and oppression for the subject English, as reflected in contradictory contemporary chroniclers.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “Foreign knights flocked to help him in great numbers, attracted partly by his well known liberality, but also fully confident of the justice of his cause.” – William of Poitiers via Bates (24:31)
    • “Bishop Odo and Earl William […] built castles widely, and they oppressed the wretched people. And afterwards, it always grew much worse.” – Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ‘D’ via Bates (25:44)
    • “He’s controversial from day one, and you can see why.” – Prof. Bates (26:52)

The Norman Rule: Rebellion, Brutality, and Control (28:13–38:18)

Securing the Throne

• Political, spiritual, and military preparations characterized William’s invasion; sacrifices by the family for legitimacy included dedicating a daughter as a nun (28:13).
• After the Battle of Hastings and coronation (Christmas Day, 1066), William faced years of rebellion, Danish interventions, and regional resistance before consolidating power by 1072.

The Harrying of the North (31:35–34:57)

• William’s response to rebellion was merciless destruction. The “harrying of the North” in 1069–70 devastated the region, earning condemnation from chroniclers.
  • “Aldrich Vitalis said, God could never forgive this.” – Prof. Bates (32:57)
  • Accounts include starvation, cannibalism, mass displacement, and villages left ‘waste’ (Domesday Book, 1086).
  • “It’s much more severe than that. Scorched earth was a military tactic. This is the destruction of the means of subsistence, I mean, technically of the weak.” – Prof. Bates (34:35)

Administration and Legacy

• Post-1072, William spent most of his time in Normandy, continually defending its frontiers, but still exercised detailed and centralized control over England.

  • The making of Domesday Book, commissioned in 1085, illustrates his “control freak” nature and ambition for organized, legitimized rule.
    • “A very closely organized process of control legitimation.” – Prof. Bates (36:15)
  • Norman aristocracy systematically replaced the English elite, creating a new Anglo-Norman society.

• On the cultural front, French became the language of the elite, with Romanesque architecture and continental styles reshaping England’s landscape, though some earlier changes had begun under Edward the Confessor.

Family Strife, Turbulence, and Death (40:13–45:43)

Family Breakdown

• William’s final years were riddled with personal and political trouble: his eldest son Robert rebelled and was ultimately granted Normandy; England went to William Rufus.
• Matilda’s death in 1083, internal disputes, and the arrest of Odo of Bayeux reflected the increasingly fractious core of the regime.

William’s Death and Funeral (43:40–44:42)

• William died in 1087 during a campaign in France after a riding accident (due to obesity) caused internal injuries.

• His funeral was infamous: the tomb was too small, leading to a humiliating scene as the body was squeezed in, emitting a terrible smell.

  • “The coffin wasn’t large enough. They had to remake the coffin and of course it made a terrible smell of his body ruptured.” – Prof. Bates (44:22)

• Shortly after, his heirs laid the foundation stone at St. Mary’s Abbey in York—a gesture of atonement for the suffering he had brought the north.

Assessing William’s Legacy (45:43–47:02)

Complexity, Controversy, and the Use of Violence

• William remains a subject of debate—both admired and condemned, his reign an exemplar of dominance, brutality, and innovation.
  • “I think in the end I chose when I wrote about him to say that his life is a parable on the use of violence in what was believed to be a just cause.” – Prof. Bates (45:53)
• The episode concludes by inviting listeners to reflect on William’s life as one of the great historical “what ifs,” and as a study in the lasting consequences of conquest.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On William’s character:
  “He creates a dominant political regime and in the end we’re looking at political domination. And the theme, of course, runs through his life in which he is able to dominate. But one doesn’t necessarily want to say that […] he was not necessarily very nice.” – Prof. Bates (13:39)

• On the conquest:
  “When you look at Domesday Book, there are so many places that are described as waste. In other words, they could no longer produce tax, and that is 1086.” – Prof. Bates (33:30)

• On governance:
  “The destruction of English elites has no parallel in European history before 1917.” – Quoting Chris Wickham via Prof. Bates (37:43)

• On reflection:
  “His life is a parable on the use of violence in what was believed to be a just cause.” – Prof. Bates (45:53)

Key Timestamps

• 00:47: Introduction to William the Conqueror's context and birth
• 06:04: William assumes power in Normandy
• 11:04: William’s marriage to Matilda and political alliances
• 18:14: Debates around William’s claim to the English throne
• 21:29: Harold’s oath to William and contending sources
• 28:13: Preparations for the Norman Conquest of England
• 31:35: The harrying of the North—context and scale
• 35:14: William’s administration and making of Domesday Book
• 40:13: Rebellion of Robert, William’s eldest son
• 43:40: William’s death and ignominious funeral
• 45:43: Assessing William’s lasting legacy

Tone and Approach

The conversation blends academic rigor with accessibility, offering listeners both detailed insight and engaging storytelling. Professor Bates combines analytical nuance with memorable anecdotes, inviting listeners to grapple with the contradictions and questions that surround William’s legacy to this day.

For anyone seeking to understand the man behind “the Conqueror,” this episode offers both the highlights and the human complexities of one of medieval Europe’s most famous rulers.