Henry I of France
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Henry I was King of the Franks from 1031 to 1060. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the earl
Effigy of Henry from his seal
William the Conqueror
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William the Conqueror, sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was Duke of Normandy from 1035 onward.
Henry I of France
…strategic move, Henry came to the rescue of his very young nephew-in-law to be, the newly appointed Duke William of Normandy (who would go on to become William the Conqueror), to suppress a revolt by William's vassals. In 1047, Henry secured the duchy for William in their decisive victory over the vassals at the Battle of…
William is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry during the Battle of Hastings, lifting his helmet to show that he is still alive.
Château de Falaise in Falaise, Lower Normandy, France; William was born in an earlier building here.
Column at the site of the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047
Image from the Bayeux Tapestry showing William with his half-brothers. William is in the centre, Odo is on the left with empty hands, and Robert is on the right with a sword in his hand.