William the Conqueror - First Norman King of England Documentary

[@PeopleProfiles]

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[@wrecktitudemedia6514]

ty again for all the docs! Very entertaining and enlightening.

[@jessrosefawkes2721]

Thank you for another amazing video. And can I just say, I was a heroin addict for 12 years, I’m 32 now and I’ve been clean since oct 22. And your videos have been instrumental in helping in my recovery. Your channel along with a couple of other channels, have been an amazing distraction for me as your 1 of the best historical channels on the whole of you tube! So thank you so much your amazing content. your videos have got me loving history again lol! Thank you so much and take care 😊

[@simonebest1596]

L0⁰

[@kevinjewell233]

He was the first NormanD, ther eis a D at the end of the word to describe people from Normandy, they are Normands....he was a Normand.

[@rosaliegolding5549]

Alfred The Great was a cultured King Who ruled England ruled for the better Willliam ruled to dominate the people a

[@armyveteran101st]

William The Conqueror is my 27th great grandfather... I really enjoyed this video... Thank you!

[@taureansynner6993]

My ancestors served your 27th Great Grandfather. You're welcome 🙂🤣

[@JRLZ78]

Same. he is also my 27th grandfather.

[@omnomnomnath415]

Likewise.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Yes! One of England's Greatest Kings and the shining example that Bastardy isn't gonna stop anyone from achieving Greatness!

[@johnhaydu2627]

The first Jon Snow

[@v.britton4445]

He was an SOB for sure.

[@Free-Bodge79]

And the odd little genocide here and there. Good times. 😉

[@LeftoverBeans1994]

​@Manuel Dumont par for the course really, since England treated their vassals as the same

[@frederickiiprussia7699]

Is it bastardy or bastardism? I was sure it was the latter

[@Giulorma1121]

I was looking back into my Mom’s family’s history and I was so shook to see I was directly related to William the Conqueror. But then I found out that 3/4ths of people with British ancestry can trace their roots back to William the Conqueror and i was humbled real fast.

[@jaguar5969]

We all started from Noah 😊

[@starryskies1370]

This is my grandfather and I’m “black” 🤩

[@adriaandeleeuw8339]

My sons 33rd great uncle, on his mothers side, Another Uncle....Odo, commissioned the Bayeaux Tapestry, and all five of the known Normans on the Tapestry are either Great Grandparents or Great Uncles....Robert de Mortagne, Earl of Cornwall 32nd Great Grandfather, Engenulphe de l’Aigle 32nd great Grandfather,

[@adamR1984]

@@adriaandeleeuw8339 33rd great uncles lol

[@PakaBubi]

through an illegitimate child I suppose haha

[@Daniel_McDonald]

Thank you so much for sharing this fascinating insight into the life of William the Conqueror! It's amazing to learn about the origins of the Duchy of Normandy and the unique culture of the Normans. The fact that William was born into a Norse family, but also a gallicized one, shows how complex and diverse the history of Europe truly is. I appreciate your thorough research and look forward to learning more!

[@Veldtian1]

Europe is the most diverse culturally and ethnographically geographical region on Earth. A dozen shades of indigenous skin eye and hair color found nowhere else too, straight facts.

[@ryanjuguilon213]

@@Veldtian1 Only a European centric person could claim this. The middle east was and still is the crossroad of civilization. It is the most culturally diverse region on Earth bar none.

[@ironmind258]

@@ryanjuguilon213 I think that the ME has always been that way to a degree but it appears way more homogenous now in terms of some aspects compared to the past.

[@RaffieFaffie]

@@ryanjuguilon213 But he's completely right though, seems like you hold a disdain for Europe.

[@stevebrindle1724]

@@RaffieFaffie Quite! Europe is, historically speaking, the most important continent on earth!

[@sreenathjohnsonsaysnotolgbtq]

One of the best narration I have ever heard 👏

[@voltaire6668]

I love many things about these documentaries. Thanks! The one thing I wish there would be more of is use of map images while telling these stories.

[@annekendziora9114]

yes!

[@Mimi73161]

I agree!! Very helpful to understanding how geography played a part!

[@Malik_Sylvus]

William's army was composed of soldiers from different regions of France. The Barons who led the invasion under the commands of William were from Brittany, Normandy, Picardy, Burgundy, Flanders and Champagne.

[@ÆthelwulfOfNordHymbraLand2333]

And even within those said regions there was ethnic diversity, Franks, Roman etc.

[@janetgraham-russell4476]

And many were mercenaries.

[@MoreauMoreau-t1d]

​@@ÆthelwulfOfNordHymbraLand233395% of the inhabitants of Normandy were of Gallo-Frankish origin.. only between 5000-15 000Anglo-Scandinavian settled in Normandy.. they mixed for almost two centuries before the Battle of Hastings.. William's mother was 100% French and his father 3/4 French.

[@joeanndavis3509]

I used Doomsday Book to trace my family!

[@classiclife7204]

This is incredibly good. This channel just gets better and better. This really may be the best episode in your English monarchy series. Keeping one eye on the larger scene while keeping the other eye on the small details without which history is just a mystery. A little embarrassed to admit I wasn't subbed yet (I thought I was); rectified. As good as history gets on KZbin.

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

William was not English, nor are his descendants. And as an English diaspora, I will avenge my kinsmen one day. Just sad we had to liberate france ww2

[@clucknbell4613]

​@@GerMFnU1848Sax😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jackhardy1649]

If you listen to the documentary,you are informed of William's heritage etc!

[@foochooz]

@@jackhardy1649 aye! lolz

[@YeahYeahb-tch]

Oliver stone should make a movie about him. From the moment he was born he was running for his life and the things he survived made him the iron fist to conquer England once and for all. His census of the land was pivotal in establishing taxation and registry. Not to mention the castles he ordered built at every critical area and rewarding his Norman Lords in their place

[@rosscameronsmith]

Not after the mess he made of Alexander. I'm thinking it's more of a job for Ridley Scott, or possibly Christopher Nolan.

[@grandpaandlucas7054]

there is a film called called William the Conqueror

[@kazielbonn]

Wouldn't it be funny AF if it was called Norman Bill.

[@Spacebanana-im5qt]

Nnn

[@olympia5758]

I always wondered why there was NEVER a movie or tv series about William the Conqueror. I really hope to see an adaptation.

[@bluestrife28]

Idk why it just occurred to me but William Windsor will be William V. Wow. As a history buff just living through these moments is so amazing.

[@kathrynjordan8782]

I am also a history buff so this is going to be interesting to see William Windsor become William V.

[@NettiGaming]

If he decides to keep his name

[@bluestrife28]

Yeah he could be the first modern King Arthur using one of his middle names. :)

[@ÆthelwulfOfNordHymbraLand2333]

Do you mean the German William Saxe-Coburg-Gotha? 'Windsor' is an English name.

[@MrPokerblot]

⁠@@kathrynjordan8782, 2066 he maybe on the throne. The 1000 year anniversary. But what if King Charles never dies though if a new medical advance is invented huh 😮 Also, 1000 before the Norman “only with 20 years difference” was the Roman invasion. So, in 2047 we could celebrate the 2000 year anniversary of the Roman invasion and 20 years later the 1000 year celebration of the Norman invasion, but the people celebrating it will be the current invaders of these British isle “the whole world coming from the whole world but who settled in more or less the same place as the previous two did before they invaded. Quite an irony. As history is. History really does have certain ryme about it

[@RobertSmith-km6gi]

I’m a descendant of William de Percy who was an officer in William the Conquerors army and although he was not present at Hastings, he was eventually awarded vast lands in Northumberland which his descendants still control today as the Dukes. The Percys played a significant part in the hundreds of years after Hastings as wardens of the Scottish border and their parts in some of the internecine wars including the War of the Roses and the Hundred Years’ War. For the most part they were not very nice people but I suppose that was par for the course in those days for the nobility.

[@Oath_Keeper1979]

A descendant of who? That’s nothing to be proud about. No one knows who he is. I however am a descendant of Alexander the Great.

[@RobertSmith-km6gi]

@@Oath_Keeper1979 The article was about William the Conqueror. My reply was pertinent to the subject.

[@thesovietvorona1007]

@@RobertSmith-km6gi As a direct descendant of William(Through his least favorite child Robert) I extend my hand in a respecting gest comrade. **edited to add a period**

[@RobertSmith-km6gi]

@@thesovietvorona1007 Interesting, I didn’t expect to find a fellow descendant! I descend through Alan. Do you have any information going back further? I have a Galfred (Geoffrey) Percy born in 0972 as Williams sire and a vague reference to a Manfred even earlier. There’s a good book about Williams descendants who ruled in the Northumberland region of England and still inhabit Alnwick castle which dates back to the late 11th century. It’s called Kings in the North by Alexander Rose.

[@thesovietvorona1007]

@@RobertSmith-km6gi I only have been able to find one article about the man who started my families surname of Hill which was the grandson of William the 1st.

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

My clan has a legend that Edgar came to Scotland with a nobleman from Hungary, who had several daughters in tow. One of which King Malcolm II took a fancy to and married, also granting land to the two noblemen, and the Hungarian nobleman became the progenitor of the clan. Just a legend but it's interesting either way.

[@andrewhastings462]

Cool I've tried to research my Hastings side but it's apparently or was a sept of clan Campbell which isn't that good lol but they had lands in Angus Dundee, which is where I live but my others are drylie Scott, Scottish in origin. It's fascinating to learn how the people were so oppressed and kings and Queens of the Normans basically made a Union with England and Scotland for power and greed. I want independence for Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 since I ever learned where am from. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿♥️

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

​@@andrewhastings462 Latha math! Campbell is a controversial one, but don't feel bad, I'm also related to the Mackenzie clan and they had warred with the MacLeods in the interest of the king to stop the lawlessness of the islands and other highland areas. It awarded them lands, but only hatred from fellow Highlanders. Slàinte! EDIT: Let me add that the Mackenzies also supported Robert De Bruce, much of clan history is multilayered and very nuanced. The first clan I spoke of is clan Drummond, through marriages I am related to the clans Mackenzie, Wallace, Grant and Cathcart besides Drummond. Have you a kilt yet? I went with a Scottish national tartan for day wear to festivals and concerts, and plan to get a Drummond tartan but it's not one regularly bought therefore not on a rack anywhere and needs to be custom woven which is too expensive for me at this time. As I get older my heritage seems to mean more to me and there's no time like now to proudly wear a kilt!

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

@@andrewhastings462 The independence movement has my support too, Alba gu bràth!

[@andrewhastings462]

Nice to know, nice to meet a fellow Scot for independence 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@andrewhastings462]

Am fae Lower Largo in Fife have long family history there, my other side is Drylie clan but only Fife I could find out their history. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@barbaralucas1220]

This is amazing. I thought i knew pretty much all there was to know about the battle of Hastings and william the conqueror but there was so much i didnt know. Thank you so much for this amazing piece of work love it 😊

[@JohnKolinski]

Excellent documentary! Thank you for increasing my knowledge of the back story of the Battle of Hastings. Really outstanding effort.

[@veritylife8432]

I have never been a history buff, but I loved this video, and am now fascinated with the fact that england was shaped by a viking! Your explanations are accessible and entertaining. Sorry it took yt so long to recommend you.

[@MonstaTrapz]

The Vikings had a massive impact on the history of the British Isles

[@jengaaaaa]

More than one 😃

[@KatholikoPharorah]

What I figured out is uhtred is my 31th great grandfather and he was born Norman and married one of Alfreds great granddaughters that's where I find the lineage starts to combine is through him.

[@EdgarAlbao-tj4ot]

​@@felipecortez1042j ni no to

[@mijanhoque1740]

More like a Frenchmen than a Norsemen

[@commonhistory9800]

My family traces our ancestry back to one of William’s knights who aided in the conquest of England. It’s always cool to learn more about my great-ancestor’s boss.

[@graceamerican3558]

Mine as well. But I haven’t gotten that far back … yet.

[@cm9241]

I doubt it.

[@digitalevents-ns4ut]

Every 3rd generation Englishman would theoretically be related to William the conquer / shares a common ancestor. There would be no direct line u could physically trace unless you where enobled and to my knowledge we have no Norman families left

[@kathrynjordan8782]

My family traces our ancestry to William the Conqueror. I agree that it is always cool to learn more about my ancestors.

[@graceamerican3558]

@@cm9241 Why?

[@andrewhastings462]

Had to comment as my surname is Hastings 🙂 am Scottish and love learning about England's Scotland. Irish, and Welsh History, thank you for your video's. Great for bedtime when the other half snores so loud haha. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@signoguns8501]

Agreed. I'm English and our island has some incredible history. It's pretty much all I read about lol. Crazy to think that our group of tiny little island nations have had such an enormous influence on the world.

[@pathfinderfergusfilms6630]

It may be your ancestry is that of the plantagenets? Richard 3rd perhaps?

[@andrewhastings462]

​@@pathfinderfergusfilms6630 yeah are you on about the Lord Hastings who was executed during king Richard 3rds time?

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

My son's teacher is a Hastings. I told her "I will never forget that!"

[@kasunlee7489]

Better than any "Official" documentaries made about King William, as far as I've seen. Thanks for this beautiful work. Cheers from Srilanka.

[@kaysea7221]

Excellent content and presentation, as always. Thank you for your work. I always look forward to the next instalment.

[@PeopleProfiles]

Awesome, thank you!

[@kathrynjordan8782]

This is a cool documentary. My family, on both sides, can trace our ancestry to William the Conqueror. It is so cool to learn more about ones ancestors. I find leaning about ones ancestors can be interesting and then listening to documentaries like this just adds to that history of your ancestors.

[@woohoo5473]

Cousin!

[@user-qr9uh1fd8g]

Me too

[@jingomcbright3687]

​@woohoo5473 get a room.

[@maryromero5709]

I as well was able to trace our family to William I of england consin

[@maryromero5709]

I meet cousin.

[@RuSosan]

Got to say it's rather amusing how many toooootally legit descendants to past glories suddenly start popping up like mushrooms after rain whenever there's a documentary of a ruler of any kind. This comment section is a _brilliant_ example. 😂

[@pennybunny]

Everyone wants to feel important 😂😂

[@AbbaJoy1]

I remember learning about the Norman Conquest in high school. My mother is a descendant of a Puritan who was in one of the earliest Puritan settlements in Massachusetts. As an English descendant, she did not like "the French," as a people,( but did not hold it against individuals who were French.) But when I came home talking about the Norman Conquest, she was in denial -- said the English never lost to the French. I learned that day that was no doubt the reason she didn't like the French. I didn't understand why people didn't just move on because it was in the past, and no one we knew was a part of the conquest or mistreatment. That was over fifty years ago, and history hasn't changed much in that respect!

[@cindyq.790]

You know at the time the Normans were not French Normandy was an independent duchy, I'm not even sure that the Duke of Normandy, Guillaume was a vassal of the King of France, so technically it was the Normans who beat the English and not the French....

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

France got what it deserved ww2. Everything they did to my people, they had it coming. Too bad we liberated them

[@smal750]

​@@cindyq.790 perfect representation of anglo copium

[@cindyq.790]

@@smal750 I am from Normandy and I know quite a bit about the history of my region. The Duchy of Normandy was more or less independent even though it was a vassal of France. Otherwise William would not have become king of England.

[@adelaidesngan604]

95% of the Normans were indigenous... only 5% Scandinavian who mostly came from England, they mixed for two centuries, the Normans were much more French than the Bretons or the Gascon or Burgundian ​@@cindyq.790

[@albertseabra9226]

A well structured historical rendition. Congratulations and 1.000 thanks. A.

[@lesleywilkie2848]

I watched Prof Robert Bartlett's TV series (2014), The Plantagenets, really interesting. After the conquest, the Normans set out to systematically destroy Anglo Saxon culture and way of life. The last Saxon King, Harold Godwinson, is buried in Waltham Abbey near where I live.

[@Trebor74]

A vastly underrated king. He chose what was best for the country over family loyalty when he removed his brother to stir from control of the North after the North rebelled against taxes. It must have been an incredibly hard choice. A choice that ultimately led to his defeat at hastings

[@lesleywilkie2848]

@@Trebor74 Three more gifted and intelligent Saxon Kings, Alfred the Great, his son Edward the Elder and his grandson, Athelstan. Athelstan was the first King of a united England.

[@ThomasDoubting5]

Yes me to its was extremely interesting .

[@RaffieFaffie]

@@lesleywilkie2848 Offa was also good

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

They tried to but Anglo-Saxon culture still exists

[@Flamsterette]

Thanks for the fascinating upload!

[@jeffblackard9753]

Crazy part at least to me is that his ancestors and those of the people that supported him still own huge swaths of land throughout the UK since the battle of Hastings which was what 1066?

[@MountVernonPolitics]

My family was given Cavendish for helping out at The battle of Hastings. You're correct.

[@Free-Bodge79]

2 % of the population own 90 % of the land. The aristocracy has had the rest of us stitched up for best part of a millennium..

[@jeffblackard9753]

@@MountVernonPolitics live long and prosper.

[@jeffblackard9753]

@@Free-Bodge79 2% owns 90% of the land I’m gonna have to research that. My next question would be how much of the land in the UK of farmable? I would presume not a lot

[@Free-Bodge79]

@@jeffblackard9753 apart from national parks , m.o.d and church of England land . They've pretty much had it sown up since the Normans. Most of the non arable land is still viable to raise live stock. Especially sheep, on the hills, moors and peaks . Land that couldn't be put the plough . (The wool trade was a big, big earner back in the day). Look it up though . It won't be far from the truth. They own the lot mate.

[@thealchemiz1134]

I thoroughly appreciate the recap at the end of each video 😊

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

I find William Rufus fascinating. What an uncommon man for the time.

[@karlsaxon2099]

My 29th grandfather really enjoyed it fantastic.

[@liam1561]

Unlucky

[@stevebrindle1724]

A very good piece of history, I learned a lot about William and he seemed to be an impressive man This is an excellent channel and I always enjoy watching it.

[@katemccarthy2463]

Your historical videos are so informative and extremely well put together. I enjoy your narrative, its concise and eloquent. Thank you

[@bigred8438]

This is possibly the best account of the historical stages leading up to Williams rein in England. As a descendant of the Norman invasion and a descendant of one of those people whose support of William, was rewarded with an Earldom (of Sefton), I have long pondered how the psychology of conquered people see the world around them, and am certain that having been a descendant of a party involved in the very last conquest of England, that my psychology is somewhat lighter because of it, rather than a sufferer of generations of the oppression. I am no Earl of Sefton, indeed the the title always goes to the first born. As a side note to history, the earldom of Sefton ended in 1973, therefore my tenuous connection to those historical events, were severed almost before I was born. I can only hope for a future that does not involve conquest of one people over another as we still see today, but one where we recognize each others individual sovereignty and behave toward each other accordingly.

[@abbyhrabovsky3734]

I am sure you are a descendent of the conquered also, so it probably evens out😂

[@20ZZ20]

easy tiger there are hundreds of thousands of descendants. it's quite difficult to not find a link to a royal if you go far enough so don't feel too bad lmao.

[@11274reece]

YES! Been looking on the channel for this and couldn't find it. Well in.

[@standingplain1]

Very good and thorough video about William the C.

[@PulseTheDubdog]

Great video my husband is related to William the Conqueror. I love all of your videos makes me want to learn more history.

[@jeromedenis100]

Great documentary, excellent source of information and very well narrated....let down at the end by a pointless question but it doesn't matter, I enjoyed the show.

[@LawlietEdward]

Amazing video! Informative and very well narrated and edited. Thank you!

[@kali3665]

Tom Bergeron: This famous William had two nicknames. One was The Bastard, and the other was what? Penn Jillette: MISTER Shatner! MISTER SHATNER to you!! -- The 90s Hollywood Squares

[@romeowhiskey1146]

As a far distant relative of John de la Warde, Captain of the Guards for William the Conqueror.. this extended my understanding of the life and times of WtC. Excellent chronology and implications of the invasion.

[@BrunoDebaenst]

The county of Flanders was not in "what is now Southern Belgium" (10'51''). The county of Flanders was in the West of current Belgium and in the Nordwest of current France (and even a bit in the Southwest of the current Netherlands).

[@rinaldskandalincevs1224]

Very good documentary! I just have to point out, that the narrator's voice and clarity of speach is outstanding! Excellent job!

[@ulyssesshubeilat]

Would love for you to cover Edward the Confessor!

[@Rockstar-bq5fm]

A lot of his story is covered in their longshanks video

[@ulyssesshubeilat]

@@Rockstar-bq5fm thanks for the heads up

[@Rockstar-bq5fm]

@@ulyssesshubeilat: pay no attention whatsoever to me dude, I have no idea why I messaged that I was watching KZbin videos trying to stay awake and messaged that in some sort of sleep depraved stupor lol I’m pretty sure Edward the Confesser was not in one of their Longshanks videos haha

[@ulyssesshubeilat]

@@Rockstar-bq5fm lol I thought maybe the video started with the long shank's great grand father hehe

[@Yduar-lo8bk]

I find it fascinating, the Byzantine technology made it possible for William to invade England, haraldr actually conquers England largely because of his experience in Byzantium. History is so wonderful, 2 absolute legends roaming the earth at the same time to eventually face off.

[@sharonr1824]

My first known ancestor on my father's side, came across the channel with William. He was a Squire at the time, but did something, unknown to us, that caused him to be granted land by the King. I wish there was a way to learn more about him. Perhaps one day.

[@JustAThought916]

sure

[@vicmorrison8128]

Cool.

[@kazielbonn]

Shouldn't be impossible to research as the stuff that went on in England were pretty well documented by the priesthood if I'm not mistaken. So if he indeed was granted land, then that event should definitely be written down somewhere.

[@TigerSamurai]

I doubt it's the first known ancestor, I am sure you can find a direct line to Charlemagne for example online.

[@brusewane-zp6gr]

My ancestors from my grandfathers side!!

[@simonkennedy5899]

Thanks guys, terrific!

[@spookyt8692]

Watching this after playing crusader kings 3. I play early starts so dealing with Norse atm but I’ve been made duke of Mercia which is kewl. All within generations of a bastard of Dorset

[@ginamontgomery340]

There is even debates as to Roger de Montgomery may have led the right flank at Hastings. Others say he returned to Normandy to support Matilda in controlling Normandy- holding down the fort as it were. Some say he did both. At one time, the Montgomery line was very powerful and instrumental in the cause of the Normans. Also essential in controlling the Welsh boarder in Midlands on the Welsh boarder lands. To mention Beaumont and FitzObern and fail to mention Roger de Montgomery is clearly a serious oversight. Perhaps it is because all castles/manors, holdings of the Montgomery's ( and Bellemes) were taken by Henry 1 ( the unjust king) when the Montgomery family supported Robert Courthose- the rightful king and lost at the battle of Tichebray in Normandy on September 28, 1106. Just saying...

[@wilsontheconqueror8101]

Well done! In Williams defense he had to literally fight for his life since he was a boy. And after Hastings he tried to reconcile with the Anglo-Saxon nobility but to no avail. When the rebellion in the North took place he'd had enough and devastated the North. He was a man of his time,while being innovative in military tactics that would transform England. He's easier to admire a 1000 years later. Because as a 11th century farmer on your little plot of field. The last thing you would want to see is King William with hundreds of Norman Knights riders coming your way!

[@juanzulu1318]

Exactly. Funny thing is that characters like Stephen of Blois who seemed to be more on the modern side in regards to his traits (looking for compromises, mildness etc) was seen as weak by contemporary writers.

[@tomwilliams5832]

Exactly, i never understand why william gets glorified when he ravaged the lands and took power over for years.

[@karenmanderville154]

Another cousin and commander in his army in 1066 was my ancestor Geoffrey de Mandeville/ Manneville/ Magnaville. He is listed in the doomesday book as Groisfoid de Manneville and was givin vast lands in England as well including Essex where they became lords, castle at Pleashey

[@monkeytennis8861]

Having a similar name doesn't mean you're related. Sounds like bollocks

[@CalSprigley]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing ⚜️

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

France got what it deserved ww2

[@cindyq.790]

I'm French from Normandy and it's funny what you say there because there are several cities in Normandy starting with Manneville, it would be fun to find out if these cities were the territories of your ancestor!

[@karenmanderville154]

The DNA proved it too 😊

[@craigreid7178]

I am a descendant of William along with probably millions of others. My take on him is, as is true of most kings and queens, he had negative and positive points. Most of them were enamored of power and wealth and were driven mostly by such concerns. He did, however, in the end make some long-lasting changes, be they good or bad, that are still around to this day.

[@birddog7492]

A very good video, thank you. The way I see it Willam brought a better government and set of laws to England and set the platform for ultimately a more united and civil society.

[@simonrooney2272]

obviously you know nothing about William the Conqueror

[@thevoiceless8567]

We already had a civilised society…without the feudalism.

[@surferdude4487]

A tradition that was handed down to me is that the Munro clan went to Normandy and sacked William the Conquerer's castle. When they came home, they wrote "Fallais is Burning" across their family banner. This is the origin of the Foulis title. And from that comes the Fallis family name. Do you know if there are any historical sources to back up this story?

[@mitchamcommonfair9543]

I doubt it.

[@monkeytennis8861]

Complete drivel.

[@surferdude4487]

@@monkeytennis8861 I have researched as far as a couple hours on the internet will allow. The origin of the clan and their first award in battle date back far enough. I have to take into account the fact that most of the Munros were illiterate and therefore historical records are thin. The title appeared about the same time that William I was consolidating his hold on England. I also have to take into account that bragging about battles whether they happened or not was a way of life. As far as I'm concerned, the facts that have survived neither prove nor disprove this claim.

[@gordonfrickers5592]

A very good account much as taught me in school, of the Norman validation of their invasion and subsequent ruthless, barbaric suppression and enslavement of the English. The period has long interested me in part because for two years I attended a school near the towns of Battle and Hastings. William was 'sold' to us youngsters at school as a great benefit for England. I soon began to doubt this. William when he died was strongly hated by the vast majority of the English and he knew it, not a good legacy. I certainly dispute the remarks about slavery. One of the many clues to the bias of the Norman version of history is the relatively few slaves the English owned prior to the conquest while the Normans reduced the population to 'serfs', slaves by any other name. Eventually from subsequent further reading I discovered a very different version of these events exists which reads like a classical tragedy. That of a country most civilised most, democratic and one of the wealthiest in Europe lead by a very popular elected king, reduced to slavery, serfdom and run by robber barons. An England much as it's again becoming today, still run by a few powerful families bent on exploitation rather than the interests of the common good, protected by a thin veneer of hard won democracy.😉🙂

[@sherryleary7972]

Something to think on, linking the two times. We are more civilized in our evils today.

[@gordonfrickers5592]

@@sherryleary7972 agreed although I think we should be careful not to judge 'then' by 'today' standards. "more civilized in our evils today", an interesting comment, that said I don't think human nature has changed. Almost without exception the good get better, the bad get worse.

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

William did not create England. But I have also heard that

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

France got what it deserved ww2

[@charlesburgoyne-probyn6044]

I realised we are lied to in the official/school version when you realise that this marked the beginning of animosity between England and France it's funny how one doesn't find anything of war between the two before 1066 but inexplicably and most coincidentally it starts shortly after. What a case of diverted anger by the new elite to turn the repressed population against a foreign foe. Also if legitimate king then surely he takes over but the establishment remains as their system should have been the basis of his legitimate claim but no they were banished often off to Kiev - interesting with the current goings on and a free settlement was founded in the Crimea and many served in the Varangians of the Byzantine empire. Also the Jews came over after the conquest, maybe it's because Jewish bankers in Rouen particularly helped finance the endeavour actually. Also how sketchy apart from Edward the confessor and Harold who was a Harold II of England actually as a context it's like England had no history prior bit like Arabia is sketchy about pre Islam history. The phenomena of condemn and deny. The Domesday book was developed upon the survey of Edward the confessor hence the TRE which notes who owned what during his time the previous books were "lost" um destroyed by the Normans once they had completed their listing of their gains. The stone castles were rarely to defend the nation but to secure their own place as occupiers . Also wondered why we don't have an independence day or liberation day the actual reason is that we still live under a conquering regime!

[@glory2christcmj702]

Between being a great king bringing stability to England and a ruthless tyrant devastating the land, in my opinion, William the Conqueror falls in between the two. He was not bad but definitely brought a lot of chaos. This was a great video, thank you very much!

[@Choose_Fun]

I really appreciate everything you’ve done! Excellent work and hard work. Motivates me to continue working on my videos

[@iwatchDVDsonXbox360]

Thanks. I mentioned it before, but i think next couple of months is a good time to release Cnut the Great. Vinland Saga is still airing and as far as i know it's most popular anime of the season, so some people might be interested to know more about real Cnut.

[@mkodyglobalsouthsoldier]

Had a feeling .... That name rings bells via that show

[@MonstaTrapz]

A historical viking anime?

[@jadams3427]

This is excellent. Thank you !

[@tomshaw661]

i liked it! well done.

[@franciscoguillermojauregui6725]

Excellent video. I thank you so much for sharing this master piece of euro history

[@Jsmith2024]

An excellent and enjoyable historical documentary. I knew the story well, but still learned a few things here and there, particularly regarding the lands and estates given to his friends from Normandy. One complaint, though, I found the occasional close-ups of some unknown persons eyes or mouth an unwelcome distraction.

[@IAfarmboy112]

I am a descendant by name via English translation from a soldier at The Battle known then as Ble'. My descent from The Conquer is via William Bradford and the Grosvenors and then backwards through many of the kings and queens of many European countries. It is very humbling!

[@EinFelsbrocken]

William started the meme "Careful who you call bastard in late noble tutelage"

[@SkiiDreamr420]

I'm so glad you did this work! You do a fine job. I appreciate this ❤

[@colinallers9982]

Love History a member of my family came with. William in 1066.very interesting .

[@tosspot1305]

Fabulously presented! Thanks x

[@swizzyjackman]

I descend from William the Conqueror on my maternal and paternal sides (found out my parents are 19th cousins/22nd cousins). My parents' common male ancestor (where their trees overlap) is Robert III King of Scotland, who descends from Robert II, Robert the Bruce, and William the Conqueror. Through my mother (which is fewer generations back to get to William) William the Conqueror is my Great Grandfather x30. Definitely an interesting fun fact at parties, but many people descend from him, as well as other royalty and nobles.

[@mitchamcommonfair9543]

Who is your gateway ancestor?

[@captwholey]

Hi Cousin!

[@monkeytennis8861]

Pure fantasy

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

France got what it deserved ww2

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

The fact you think he's good, makes me sick

[@Drew151Proof]

Exceptional coverage of a great man!

[@ChrisLawton66]

03:33 I'm not used to average people confusing the words ancestors and descendents let alone historians. Such a shame.

[@Stephen-gp8yi]

Can’t beat English history.great content as always!

[@coxmosia1]

Lots of other histories beat out England's history easily.

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

@@coxmosia1 He's just stating his opinion bud. Don't cry about it.

[@coxmosia1]

@@RunninUpThatHillh And I am stating my opinion. Don't cry about it.

[@jacquelinedeigan776]

History..the best subject ever.

[@cm9241]

​@RunninUpThatHillh anyone that disagrees with anything is "crying" fucking lmao

[@prospektarty1513]

Very interesting and informative. The sad truth about Norman rule in England is that it created a class-based society that has essentially remained the same ever since with the ruling classes being of Anglo-Norman descent (the English upper classes and aristocracy) and the vast majority of native Anglo Saxons (modern day English folk) being lower class serfs - which essentially is the working and ruling classes. The majority of the foot soldiers that won the battle of Hastings were not even Norman but were mercenaries namely Flemish, Bretons, Franks and Frisians. At the time of William’s conquest 1066 there were two parallel cultures in England Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norse (Danelaw). William is credited for returning the English capital to London away from Winchester the capital of Wessex so one can understand why the battle took place in Hastings and not the Thames. London north of the Thames was at the southern end of the Danelaw, an area that had developed its own Norse-based legal system and spoke Anglo-Norse dialects. Unlike Normandy where Norse culture quickly gave way to an adopted Gallo-Roman culture, the Danes, swedes and Norwegians had settled in large numbers in the East, midlands and North of England farmers and intermarried with the local Anglian and Cumbrian cultures. The Anglo-Norse culture of the Danelaw would later become the cornerstone of modern English culture as that is the root of modern-day English language. Wessex and the old Anglo Saxon dialect of Wessex died a swift death as the standardised language of the English people following the relocation of the English capital to London by the Normans. It also didn’t help that the English were not only reduced to serfs (a polite form of slavery) which involved the Norman’s leasing back lands seized from the owners to the owners for a commission of produce from the land. William’s relocation of the capital from Winchester to London was to secure his rule away from the powerful Wessex dynasty. This move unwittingly ended the Anglo Saxon or old English era, it is also responsible for the sharp change in the direction of English language’s development from a largely Saxon language similar to Frisian to a hybrid Anglo Norse language derived from the English dialects spoken by the descendants of Viking settlers in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and East Anglia. The discontinuity of the formerly dominant Wessex variety of old English is at the heart of the inability of the English to relate to the Old English language to this day. But this is primarily due to the fact that after conquering England its Norman rulers banished the use of the English language in the royal court and for administrative purposes and replaced it with Norman French for 200 years. By the time William’s’ descendants got bored with speaking French nearly two centuries after his conquest they restored the English for administrative purposes and gradually jettisoned Norman French except in the kings court. The English they chose to form the standard language was undoubtedly the version spoken in London which was populated by migrants from the East Midlands and East Anglia who spoke Anglo-Danish dialects of old English. This became the standard form of the restored English language which was essentially a heavily Scandinavian influenced English hybrid that differed significantly from the standard Old English that had been the official language of the kingdom at the time of the conquest. That difference is most noticeable in the resolutely Scandinavian grammar and structure of middle and modern English and much of its basic vocabulary. Old English was welllnand truly dead as a language by the time the Normans decided to replace Norman French with Middle English in the 1280s. The heavily ‘Scandinavian’ nature of the English language today is not due to Old English borrowing loanwords from the vikings it is due to the sheer accident that the majority of Londoners spoke an Anglo-Scandinavian form of English that evolved markedly away from the old Wessex standard of Old English. From a psycho-linguistic standpoint speakers of modern day English are psychologically unable to relate to Old English because of the sharp differences between that language and the Anglo-Scandinavian dialect of English spoken in london in the 1280s. It wasn’t a case of old English taking on loanwords from the vikings rather It was the Viking London English that dethroned Norman French . One must remember that English wasn’t used officially for 200 years in the administration of the country as it was replaced with both Norman French and Latin until the Anglo-Norman aristocracy either became less fluent in their native language or got bored with it. Besides it made no sense using a language that the majority of the people did not speak or spoke rather poorly. So Danelaw English or Anglo-Danish became the standard from which modern English directly descends, this makes the Scandinavian languages the easiest to learn for English speakers today and is partly why Scandinavians can master English at lightening speed. The other key impact of the Norman conquest and the banishment of the native tongue is the inferior status acquired by the English language and the superiority of everything French in the psyche of the English and which lingers on to this very day at least from a linguistic standpoint. This is often expressed when we want to convey a sense of importance, superiority, officialdom, learnedness, scholarship etc the amount of french and Norman French or Latinate loanwords would suddenly dominate our speech and writings

[@patdiggin7053]

Deeply dippy.

[@benperkins9237]

Edward rhe confessor had London as his capital before William.

[@inkaglio]

My dad and his family are from Sweden and I was raised in Northumberland. I have a keen interest in linguistics and etymology, but I have not studied psycholinguistics. Do you have any recommendations for where I could start, prospektarty?

[@thevoiceless8567]

Actually, in England today we are more likely to use the Germanic alternatives to the words when we want to look more approachable and real. None of us want to sound like a posh twit, especially not to our friends and kin. Furthermore, many working and middle class people today have Norman surnames. It’s also worth pointing out that there was intermarriage between the Normans and the English, most notably the widows and daughters of nobles. The Anglo-Norman language just reflected that.

[@karenbyrne3133]

Loop

[@ginamontgomery340]

Why was Roger de Montgomery not mentioned as a major March Lord, friend and cousin of William? I have read Roger de Montgomery had 150 castles....

[@ASillyHistoryBuff]

I've always found William the Conquerer fascinating, despite all that was thrown at him, from being born an illegitimate son and fighting for his duchy from a young age, to conquering England and eventually ruling as king. Rightly or wrongly, he fought with all his being for what he believed were rightly his. His determination should be an inspiration I'd think to those in adversity.

[@abdulazizclare9545]

Great man blood of Rollo the Viking. Bless him de Clare are his bloodline. Very good work on the Norman history.

[@paulstevenson7173]

I really enjoyed this film, very interesting and I learned a few things I didn't know. I believe William despite his harrying of the North was a very strong and just king, for his time. Everyone in those days was a tough character.

[@johnbrereton5229]

Thats not exactly true about slavery not being banned untill the 19th century in England. Slavery was actually banned in England in 1102 and many slavery cases have referred to this fact since. Including the famous Somerset case of 1772 which repeated the line that "as soon as a Slave set foot in England he is free" . After the Somerset case another 15,000 former slaves found their freedom in England.

[@thomasmiles9068]

if you were a serf, you weren't allowed to own property, live whereto wanted or marry without your lord's permission and were obliged to spend a proportion of your time working his land. This was the case until the Black Death started to modify the system 3 centuries later. Sounds a lot like slavery to me.

[@johnbrereton5229]

@@thomasmiles9068 A slave was just property and could be bought and sold and separated from family members. A self was not bought and sold and lived with his family in the same area for generations. Neither were great, but sefs weren't slaves.

[@PatriSjodin]

I believe it to be hard to picture William as either/or. Had he bad sides? Yes. Had he good sides? Surely. And in between, for better or worse, he had a huge impact on history, not least setting the premises and ground work for what later would be an empire.

[@thevoiceless8567]

As the historian Eric John wrote in the 20th century: “It was the Anglo-Saxons who made England, the Normans who attempted to make Great Britain. And as yet they have not succeeded so well.” The foundations were set up by the Anglo-Saxons and were still in use, William just changed the name of some of them and installed his Merry band of thugs in high positions.

[@kieror583]

Really enjoyed this is a real documentary thanks !

[@bluestrife28]

I like that we find things today that prove a lot of historical writing; like they found Richard III under a parking lot or some such and it proved he died as violently as they said . And Ima look you probably already covered her but I’m looking for an Empress Matilda doc, she never gets the press she’s deserved because of being a woman during a time of huge male personalities.

[@fredfrantz855]

yes, an Empress Matilda doc would be welcome as would one on Eleanor of Aquataine. both amazing lives.

[@overcomerbtboj]

@@fredfrantz855 there’s one for eleanor but yes mathilda would be great

[@jingomcbright3687]

Huge male personalities? Tell me more.

[@charlesburgoyne-probyn6044]

Shakespeare hunchback king was long thought to be a case of victors character assassination and a brilliant smear but it appears that he had scoliosis so it was basically true

[@simpleandhealthymama]

Thank you for this great overview. I recently found through Ancestry that I'm descendant from William the Conqueror, so it was nice to learn about him and fun to find out his wife's name is also my daughter's, Matilda.

[@nancyhammons3594]

I did the Ancestry thing as well, William was my 28th great grandfather on my Dad's maternal side. Nice to meet you cousin.

[@cindyq.790]

you have plenty of cousins in Normandy too!

[@nancyhammons3594]

@@cindyq.790 It's good to meet you.

[@cindyq.790]

@@nancyhammons3594THANKS! but to my knowledge I am not a descendant of Guillaume, I said that because on videos in French I saw some comments from descendants and I found that there were a lot of them!

[@maria17H]

None of it matters now, when we Germans avenged our British brothers 1940.

[@mathewfines8727]

To answer your question "What do you think about William the Conqueror?", and having given 2 options...I would say that he was almost certainly, both of those things.

[@bucklebunny6661]

Great information!! My dads descendants come to America in 1636 they are of Welsh heritage. It is believed that my dads descendants were followers of William the Conqueror.

[@bucklebunny6661]

@@pedanticradiator1491 At least you know what I meant . Thanks for correcting me, we all need to be ,at times. Most people would be butt hurt , but I’m not . I come from a strong line of women. !!!!!

[@nancychandler3673]

Welsh also who fled King Charles because they were Quakers.(Paternal side). William the Conqueror on (Maternal side) Mayflower.

[@GerMFnU1848Sax]

France got what it deserved ww2

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Fantastic video keep it up you're doing amazing job also can you make a video about mehmed ii or umar ibn abdul aziz aka umar ii

[@PeopleProfiles]

Thanks and sure

[@French-Dutch-English-blooded]

One thing many people miss is the fact that William was genetically AT LEAST half Frankish/Gaulish with the other 'half' being Norse. Norse woman were not on those Viking ships so it is understood that the early Vikings around the time of Rollo were procreating with French women. Heredity works in mysterious ways but if each generation keeps procreating with French or mostly French women, the offspring will be more French as time goes on. By the time of 1066, the Normans had lived in France for a few centuries, spoke French, embraced French culture but were still of (mainly) Norse heritage? That's ridiculous. I understand that the Vikings were badass and are much more celebrated and loved than the Franks (or really anything French here in the Anglosphere lol) but the truth is that the Normans were - simply put, more French than Danish - genetically and beyond.

[@brunolima7402]

32:50 "history was written by the victors"... like in pretty much every war in human history, not just this one ^^

[@PeopleProfiles]

Napoleon.

[@marcfrancisteodoro7720]

Amazing video! One of the greatest King of England 👑

[@jurassictyrantkingYT]

William the Conqueror is known as also William the first. Also after Charles the Third is deceased when his time comes as well his son William will be known as William the V if he chooses to remain with the name. And probably will be the first William in a long time Royal House of the UK. I don't know I think it really suits Prince William to be King William with the name after William the Conqueror.

[@loiba]

Prince William at 6’3, and his mothers genes is probably the most Norman looking future king in a long time though.

[@gonefishing167]

Great video, thank you. Hard to sort of the goodies and the baddies in those days. Perhaps nothing has changed. 🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@lppro7038]

William the conqueror was basically a French who conquered England and became king of England. Fair enough.

[@rivaxbcz9227]

and what's the problem?

[@MrIlleism]

No king since has been English in UK. Hence why the monarchy is mostly a joke in UK but they take it serious.

[@elainegoad9777]

William was part Norman/Norseman from great grandfather, Viking Rollo, 1st Duke of Normandy, Named for the Norsemen/Northmen/ Normans/ Vikings. Normandy was part of the Empire of Frankia which at one time was part of the Roman Empire.

[@solcazon590]

No no era francés, era un Vikingo

[@christopheraliaga-kelly6254]

Damn Right! He was a Viking with a shave, a haircut and a French accent. As his dad, Robert 'le diable' never married, he was known to contemporaries a 'Guillaume le Batard' or Bill the Bastard. And he was built like a tank, and utterly humourless, to boot

[@justayoutuber1906]

Excellent work. Thank you

[@dennisjones9044]

he was a real bastard...I'll see my way out ....

[@Free-Bodge79]

Taxi for Dennis. 😂😂 (It made me laugh mate. Good on Ya)

[@jackhardy1649]

To much water gone under the bridge,to come to any conclusions about William of Normandy.A man of his time, helped cultivate the locals of the period.Amen

[@camalli421full]

My grandfather emailed me a family tree link the other day. It showed that I am William’s 30th great grand daughter. It is so cool to watch this and learn about him. Thank you!

[@stephfoxwell4620]

It is a ridiculous claim. William was born 1028. 35 generations ago. Back then you'd have six billion forebears. Even allowing for cousin marriage it is at the European common ancestor point. We are all related to him.

[@missmorla1339]

I am the 27th great granddaughter

[@ryan.1990]

​@@stephfoxwell4620midwit take, that isn't how genetics works.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@missmorla1339 So are at least 800 million others.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@ryan.1990 Lame insult. How does genetics work then? Do people not each have two parents?

[@ruslanibragimov6941]

Amazing video! So well done. Thank you.

[@khankrum1]

Very few mourned the loss of William the Bastard.

[@wayfaringman8418]

I'll bet that casket he was in had second thoughts about holding him...

[@johnmc128]

Lived up to his name.

[@simonbell1774]

Wonderful, thank you 🙏

[@aaron43]

From watching this it gives a more realistic outlook whilst overall he taught us a lesson, possibly gave us great military tactics. I don't know too much details but i would say he wanted the title, ruling of Kingship but did not really care to live here, seen Normandy as his home, did not care for the people of England. As after he conquered the land he only returned when he needed to. He never justified his actions seems really harsh almost as if the English were not people to him, as he let so many die, and they did not die just in battle but of famine also. Did not by the sounds of it even consider the consequences of his actions. He suppressed England and tried to choke the life out of us, may have done so if he had conquered Ireland. He sounds Power mad, when rebelled against he would deal the most lethal blow he could possibly think of. The fact he stayed in Normandy when his son could have ruled and they could have been allies, been less malice shows his character is Me, me and me. He puts himself above all else. Probably a spoilt kid with loads of confidence, arrogant thought he was above the rest. To be honest that worked in his favor. But not for the people who were just trying to get by.

[@clucknbell4613]

Man, you have to know very little to call him spoiled kid. His childhood and teen age were horrible, his mentors were assasinated being in same room, his heritage and his life were challenged by number of barons, he hid among peasants and could not even read, if it somehow affected him then only by hardening his character and leading him to become one of greatest military and politic leaders of human history.

[@aaron43]

Okay well he clearly lacked empathy for the British, there is no mistake. He did not want to rule the British just control them, punish. Also I can think what I want the guy was a tyrant. I don’t care what he accomplished.

[@thevoiceless8567]

It shows how resilient we English are. We’re still here and we even ruled 1/4 of the world’s population for a time. And no one successfully conquered us since 1066.

[@pliashmuldba]

The Normans, my people just with another flavor.

[@echostar2007]

Maybe Harold took an arrow to the knee and wasn’t able to get his sweet rolls. (Was talking about 33:18. Yes I used an old Skyrim meme)

[@kevinrumsey3756]

As a listener of The British History Podcast, it is interesting to listen to the vast difference of how William is presented between different sources. As with most fallible humans nuance can always be found, and as discerning students of history we can draw our conclusions on the character of notable historical figures, but let’s cut the crap about William being honorable on a personal level. Greed, ambition, arrogance, and hate drove this man to flippant genocide as a means of subduing England.

[@simonrooney2272]

thank you! William was a cruel, greedy, and wicked man and all the people idolizing him in the comments makes me kind of sick. Sure, he was a great military man, but there are plenty of other great English warrior kings who were way less terrible