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William the Conqueror’s arrival in England and his victory at the Battle of Hastings is perhaps the most influential event in British history. Although the English were accustomed to fighting and being ruled by foreign invaders, William would prove to be a different breed of ruler. When he stormed England, he brought with him the Norman way of doing things which was much more sophisticated than the English had ever seen. He set about building a foundation for the fledgling new kingdom of England and much of his work can still be seen and felt in England today. William is credited with ordering the construction of at least 600 castles in England in order to provide protection from enemies and to awe the commoners with the majesty of the buildings.1 Historian Marc Morris explains, ‘Not only did the Normans bring with them new forms of architecture and fortification, new military techniques, a new ruling elite and a new language of government; they also imported a new set of attitudes and morals, which impinged on everything from warfare to politics to religion to law, and even the status of peasantry.’2
William the Conqueror was an extremely effective ruler for England and managed to hold on to his crown despite constant invasions and rebellions throughout his twenty-one-year reign. His success was surely based on his early experiences in Normandy where he learned to rule the duchy of Normandy, which he inherited from his father when he was only 7 years old. He escaped several assassination attempts in his youth and eventually learned how to handle the unruly nobles in Normandy who constantly rebelled against his rule.3 It was in Normandy in the 1050’s that William earned his reputation as a ruthless but able leader. He earned a prestigious international reputation when he defeated King Henry I of France not once but twice, first at the Battle of Mortemer in 1054 and again at the Battle of Varaville in 1057. After his decisive victories, his Norman subjects rallied to his side and were instrumental in helping him win the victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
William the Conqueror is known as one of the most famous usurpers in British history, but does he really deserve that title? If Edward the Confessor had promised William the throne as he insisted, why is he labeled a usurper for taking the throne from Harold? Wasn’t King Harold the usurper in this situation? The definition of the word usurp is ‘to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right’.4 Before we can determine if William or Harold were usurpers, we first must determine the law of England at that time in regard to succession.
From the seventh century to the eleventh century, Anglo-Saxon England had in place a council named the Witenaġemot, or Witan for short.5 The Witan was made up of a group of noblemen and clergy whose job it was to counsel the king in all governmental matters. The Witan also had a very special responsibility: the selection of new kings. It was customary (and lawful) in Anglo-Saxon England for the reigning king to voice his preference towards a particular candidate to succeed him but ultimately the final decision was up to the Witan.
When Edward the Confessor died in 1066, he did not name a successor because it wasn’t his place to do so, it would have been up to the Witan. Edward probably did tell Duke William back in 1051 that he wanted him to be his successor, however, the decision was out of his hands. So, when King Edward died with Harold Godwin at his bedside, everyone looked to Harold as the next natural leader of England. They in no way wanted to invite the Norman foreigner Duke William to be king of the English. It was an easy choice for the Witan and Harold hastily had himself coronated before anyone could change their minds.
Therefore, since Harold was selected by the Witan as the next king of England, he was not a usurper. William the Conqueror, on the other hand, was most definitely a usurper. Not only did he take the throne of England illegally by defying the Witan, he also took it by force via the Battle of Hastings and the murder of King Harold of England.