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William the Conqueror

The Conquest

William sent out news of his victory and invited the Saxon lords to recognize him as the legitimate king. He waited for five days and none did. Instead, they withdrew to their own lands, to defend their own interests.

By the end of November William controlled most of the old lands of Wessex. In December he took London. More and more lords now submitted to him, yielding to events. He was crowned king on Christmas Day, 1066.

One of his first acts was to build a fortress in London, a tactic he used in several towns. This one became famous though: the Tower of London, the Norman core of which still stands.

Now that he was a crowned king, William set about imposing his rule on England. He spent five years quelling rebellions and establishing Norman authority, building many castles and stocking them with men brought from Normandy. Those who fought with him at Hastings did very well, receiving lands all over England as fiefs.

The conqueror was thorough, and by 1073 he was able to return to Normandy. He spent most of the next twelve years there, dealing with various matters, including a rebellion of his own son in league with the French king. He returned to England in 1085 to deal with a combined Saxon revolt and Viking invasion (they had not given up, having mounted raids in 1069 and 1075).

In short, England did not fall into William's lap at Hastings. The army of Harold Godwinson was destroyed, but the Saxon English resisted the Normans for years, and Norman authority was established only through brute force. In truth, the Saxons greatly expedited the Conqueror's work, for through their rebellions many of their best leaders died or were exiled, and much Saxon wealth was confiscated by Normans.