Cultural depictions of William the Conqueror

William I of England has been depicted in a number of modern works.

In drama, film and television

William I has appeared as a character in only a few stage and screen productions. The one-act play A Choice of Kings by John Mortimer deals with his deception of Harold after the latter's shipwreck. Julian Glover portrayed him in a 1966 TV adaptation of this play in the ITV Play of the Week series.

William has also been portrayed on screen by Thayer Roberts in the 1955 film Lady Godiva of Coventry, John Carson in the 1965 BBC TV series Hereward the Wake, Alan Dobie in the two-part 1966 BBC TV play Conquest (part of the series Theatre 625), and Michael Gambon in the 1990 TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror.

He has also been portrayed by David Lodge in a 1975 episode of the TV comedy series Carry On Laughing entitled "One in the Eye for Harold" and by James Fleet in the 1999 humorous BBC show The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything.

In literature

William I has been depicted in historical novels and short stories. They include:^[1]

William the Conqueror:an Historical Romance (1858) by Charles James Napier. A historical romance, covering events from 1042 to 1066. The setting includes the Duchy of Normandy, the County of Flanders, the Kingdom of France, and the Kingdom of England. The novel places some emphas on the early life of William I, and on the events leading up to his marriage to Matilda of Flanders. Also covered are the marriage and crowning of Harold Godwinson, the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and the Battle of Hastings. The latter covered in detail. William himself is the protagonist. Other main characters include Matilda, Harold, Edward the Confessor, and Edith of Wessex. There are brief glimpses of Stigand, and other historical figures of the era. The author was a British soldier and statesman, the novel published posthumously. ^[1] ^[2] ^[3]
Harold, the Last of the Saxons (1848) by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton. A historical romance covering the events leading to the Norman conquest of England, from 1052 to 1066. Covers the death of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, the visit of Harold Godwinson to the court of William of Normandy, the Anglo-Welsh Wars, the invasion of Harald Hardrada, the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and the Battle of Hastings. Harold and his family are among the central characters. Also featured are William, Edward the Confessor, Ealdred, Lanfranc, Harald Hardrada, and Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. ^[1]The author strived to accurately depict English life in the 11th century. ^[2]
A Northumbrian in Arms (1909) by George Surrey. Covers conflicts in Northumbria and Wales during the 1050s. The main events are the war of Siward, Earl of Northumbria against Macbeth, King of Scotland, the rise of Malcolm III Canmore to the throne, and the war of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn against Harold Godwinson. The last chapter jumps forward to the Norman invasion under William I. Hereward the Wake is part of the cast of characters. ^[2] ^[1]
Wulf the Saxon: a story of the Norman Conquest (1895) by G. A. Henty. Covers the events leading up to the Norman Conquest, from 1063 to 1066. Harold and William are both prominently featured, with Edward the Confessor also depicted. ^[2] ^[1]
The Andreds-weald; or The House of Michelham: a Tale of the Norman Conquest (1878) by Augustine David Crake. Covers events from 1065 to the death of William I in 1087. Covering the brief reign of Harold, and the entire reign of William. The main events take place in the vicinity of Anderitum, close to modern Pevensey. ^[2]
The Sword and the Cowl (1909) by Edgar Swan. Covers the Anglo-Saxon resistance from 1066 to 1071. William and his army are facing a series of opponents. Main events include the siege of Exeter (1068) while the city was held by Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, the suppressed revolt of Morcar, Earl of Northumbria and Edwin, Earl of Mercia (1068), the fall of York to Edgar the Ætheling, Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, and Sweyn II of Denmark (1069), the submission of Waltheof to William (1070), and the failed revolt of Hereward the Wake on the Isle of Ely (1070-1071). ^[2]
The Rival Heirs: being the Third and Last Chronicle of Æscendure (1882) by A. D. Crake. Begins in the aftermath of the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and briefly covers the Battle of Hastings. Mostly focusing on the relations between the conquered Anglo-Saxons and conquering Normans in the early years of the conquest and its immediate aftermath. William I and Lanfranc are prominently featured. The last chapters move the stry forward to the First Crusade and the Siege of Jerusalem (1099). ^[4]^[1]
Hereward the Wake: Last of the English (1866) by Charles Kingsley. Loose and imaginative adaptation of historical events, written in the style of a Norse saga, featuring the brilliant exploits of outlaw Hereward the Wake at home and abroad (mostly Ireland) and Flanders). The "fierce, passionate" protagonist is depicted as a Viking, and at times as a berserker. The last chapters covered the failed revolt of 1070-1071. William I and Morcar are prominently featured. ^[2] ^[1]
The Siege of Norwich Castle: a Story of the Last Struggle against the Conqueror (1892). Covers the Revolt of the Earls and the siege of Norwhich Castle in 1075. Depicts the combined revolt by Ralph de Gael, Earl of Norfolk, Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria as an attempt to conquer England. Their plan being splitting the realm in three kingdoms: Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria. William I is depicted alongside Lanfranc, Odo, Earl of Kent, and other members of his court. ^[4] ^[1]
The Conqueror (1931) by Georgette Heyer. Covers the life of William I from his birth c. 1028 to 1066.
The Paladin by George Shipway. This novel serves as the first part of the story of Walter Tirel, assassin of William II of England. The tale is then continued in "Wolf Time". The novels takes place in Normandy and features the ageing William the Conqueror's battles with rebellious Norman vassals led by his estranged son, Robert Curthose; also the king's death and the struggle between his three sons for domination of England and Normandy. Prominentry features Robert Curthose, William II, and Henry I of England.
The Norman trilogy by Valerie Anand. Includes the novels Gildenford (1977), The Norman Pretender (1980), The Disputed Crown (1982). Covers the Norman conquest of England, with William I as a major character.
William the Conqueror (1983) by John Wingate. Biographical novel.
Fortune's Knave: the Making of William the Conqueror (1992) by Mary Lomer. This novel was also published in a different edition under one of Lomer's pseudonyms, Mary Lide. Covers the formatting years of William.
Crusade (2012) by Stewart Binns. Depicts the older William the Conqueror years after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nield (1925), p. 25-27
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Baker (1914), p. 12-13
↑ Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition(1910-1911), article Sir Charles James Napier
1 2 Baker (1914), p. 14

Sources

Baker, Ernest Albert (1914), A Guide to Historical Fiction, George Routledge and sons
Nield, Jonathan (1925), A Guide to the Best Historical Novels and Tales, G. P. Putnam's sons, ISBN 0833725092

Cultural depictions of English and British monarchs

Kingdom of the English 886–1066	Alfred the Great Edward the Elder Ælfweard Athelstan the Glorious¹ Edmund the Magnificent¹ Eadred¹ Eadwig the Fair¹ Edgar the Peaceable¹ Edward the Martyr Æthelred the Unready Sweyn Forkbeard Edmund Ironside Cnut¹ Harold Harefoot Harthacnut Edward the Confessor Harold Godwinson Edgar the Ætheling

Kingdom of England 1066–1649	William I William II Henry I Stephen Matilda Henry II² Henry the Young King Richard I John² Henry III² Edward I² Edward II² Edward III² Richard II² Henry IV² Henry V² Henry VI² Edward IV² Edward V² Richard III² Henry VII² Henry VIII² Edward VI² Jane² Mary I² with Philip² Elizabeth I ² James I³ Charles I³

Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland 1653–1659	Oliver Cromwell⁴ Richard Cromwell⁴

Kingdom of England 1660–1707	Charles II³ James II³ William III and Mary II³ Anne³

Kingdom of Scotland 843–1707 (traditional)	Kenneth I MacAlpin Donald I Constantine I (II) Áed Giric Eochaid Donald II Constantine II (III) Malcolm I Indulf Dub Cuilén Amlaíb Kenneth II Constantine III (IV) Kenneth III Malcolm II Duncan I Macbeth Lulach Malcolm III Canmore Donald III Duncan II Donald III Edgar Alexander I David I Malcolm IV William I the Lion Alexander II Alexander III Margaret John Robert I David II Robert II Robert III James I James II James III James IV James V Mary I James VI ⁵ Charles I⁵ Charles II⁵ James VII⁵ Mary II⁵ William II⁵ Anne⁵

British monarchs after the Acts of Union 1707	Anne George I George II George III George IV William IV Victoria Edward VII George V Edward VIII George VI Elizabeth II

¹Overlord of Britain. ²Also ruler of Ireland. ³Also ruler of Scotland. ⁴Lord Protector. ⁵Also ruler of England. Debatable or disputed rulers are in italics.

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