William The Conqueror Makers Of History

William the Conqueror Makers of History by Jacob Abbott Chapter I. Normandy. A.D. 870-912 The Norman Conquest.Claim of William to the throne.The right of the strongest. One of those great events in English history, which occur at distant intervals, and form, respectively, a sort of bound or landmark, to which all other events, preceding or following them for centuries, are referred, is what is called the Norman Conquest. The Norman Conquest was, in fact, the accession of William, duke of Normandy, to the English throne. This accession was not altogether a matter of military force, for William claimed a right to the throne, which, if not altogether perfect, was, as he maintained, at any rate superior to that of the prince against whom he contended. The rightfulness of his claim was, however, a matter of little consequence, except so far as the moral influence of it aided him in gaining possession. The right to rule was, in those days, rather more openly and nakedly, though not much more really, than it is now, the right of the strongest. Map of Normandy. Normandy, William's native land, is a very rich and beautiful province in the north of France. The following map shows its situation: Map of England and part of France, showing the situation of Normandy. The English Channel.Nature of the French coast.Nature of the English coast. It lies, as will be seen upon the map, on the coast of France, adjoining the English Channel. The Channel is here irregular in form, but may be, perhaps, on the average, one hundred miles wide. The line of coast on the southern side of the Channel, which forms, of course, the northern border of Normandy, is a range of cliffs, which are almost perpendicular toward the sea, and which frown forbiddingly upon every ship that sails along the shore. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

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William I (Old Norman: Williame I; Old English: Willelm I; c. 1028[1] - 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, [2][a] was the first Norman King of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. The descendant of Viking raiders, he had been Duke of Normandy since 1035. After a long struggle to establish his power, by 1060 his hold on Normandy was secure, and he launched the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The rest of his life was marked by struggles to consolidate his hold over England and his continental lands and by difficulties with his eldest son

In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy launched an audacious invasion of England that would forever change the island nation's history. Claiming a distant blood tie to the English throne, William met King Harold Godwinson in a fateful battle at Hastings that ensured the Norman's conquest. In William the Conqueror, prolific 19th century author Jacob Abbott brings to life the medieval king who left an enduring mark on English culture. With vivid detail and Abbott's engaging prose, the book chronicles William's ascent as ruler of Normandy, tense rivalry with Harold, and hard-fought victory to gain the crown. Embark on William's monumental crusade as he introduces sweeping changes to unite England under Norman rule. Abbott presents the Conqueror as a towering yet complex figure-skilled warrior and leader but also an iron-fisted ruler. Explore the blending of Anglo-Saxon and French culture under William that transformed language, architecture and society. From volatile Viking raids to clashing swords at Hastings, this essential biography highlights one of Europe's most unforgettable kings. William the Conqueror is an adventure into the intrigue and warfare of the Middle Ages bound to enthrall young readers.

William I (Old Norman: Williame I; Old English: Willelm I; c. 1028[1] - 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, [2][a] was the first Norman King of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. The descendant of Viking raiders, he had been Duke of Normandy since 1035. After a long struggle to establish his power, by 1060 his hold on Normandy was secure, and he launched the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The rest of his life was marked by struggles to consolidate his hold over England and his continental lands and by difficulties with his eldest son