Chapter XII

THE LATER REIGN OF WILLIAM IN NORMANDY. 1051–1066.

1051 Recapitulation; William returns from England 75

Character and divisions of the period; William’s
wars with France; his war with Maine; the Breton
war and the oath of Harold 76–78

§ 1. _The Marriage of William and Matilda._ 1049–1060.

Position of William; political necessity of his
marriage; domestic purity of his life 78–80

His counsellors recommend a marriage with Matilda
of Flanders 80

Position and greatness of the Counts of Flanders 81–83

1036–1067 Reign of Baldwin the Fifth; his connexion with
France and England 83–84

Matilda’s former marriage and children 84–87

1048–1049 Beginning of William’s courtship; the marriage
forbidden by the Council of Rheims 87–89

1053 Celebration of the marriage; its coincidence with
the captivity of Leo the Ninth 90–93

Opposition of Archbishop Malger; his character 93–96

1055 Malger deposed; his banishment and death 96–98

1055–1069 Maurilius, Archbishop of Rouen, his life and
character 98–101

Lanfranc opposes the marriage; his quarrel and
reconciliation with the Duke 101–103

1054–1059 Lanfranc supports the marriage at Rome 104–106

1059–1060 Lanfranc returns with the dispensation 106

Foundation of the two Abbeys of Caen 108–110

1066? Anselm Prior of Bec; excellence of William’s
ecclesiastical appointments 110–111

Children of William and Matilda 111–113

§ 2. _William’s Wars with France._ 1053–1060.

Character of the period; Norman rebellions
supported by France and Anjou 113–114

Greatness of Normandy; its natural hostility to
France 114–116

1048–1053 Revolt of William Busac 116

The Counts of Eu; their ecclesiastical foundations 116–118

William Busac defends Eu against the Duke; he is
banished 118–119

1058 He takes refuge in France and receives the County
of Soissons 119–120

1053 Revolt of William of Arques; his former conduct;
the Duke occupies the castle; description of
Arques 120–125

The castle betrayed to Count William; his revolt;
march of the Duke from Valognes 125–128

The Duke blockades the castle; King Henry helps
the rebels; ambush at Saint Aubin 129–133

Death of Ingelram; history of the Counts of
Ponthieu 134–136

The King retires; Moulins betrayed to him 136–138

The castle surrenders; Count William retires to
Boulogne 138–140

Hatred of the French towards Normandy; enmity of
Geoffrey of Anjou and other princes; great
confederacy against Normandy 140–144

1054 Double invasion of Normandy under King Henry and
his brother Odo 144–150

William’s preparations; his plan of defence and
division of his forces 150–153

Ravages of the French; they reach Mortemer 153–155

The French surprised and cut to pieces at
Mortemer; imprisonment of Guy of Ponthieu 155–158

Promotion of William of Warren; he marries the
Duke’s step-daughter Gundrada 158

The news brought to William; his stratagem and
message to the King 158–160

Panic and retreat of the French army 161

Illustrations of the Norman national character 161–163

William fortifies Breteuil 163–164

1055 Peace with France; William authorized to make
conquests at the expense of Anjou 164

1048–1063 Extension of William’s frontier to the south;
Domfront and Ambrières 164–166

1055 New fortifications at Ambrières; William and
Geoffrey before Ambrières; flight of Count
Geoffrey and homage of Geoffrey of Mayenne 166–169

Further extension of William’s frontier towards
Anjou 169

1055–1058 Three years’ peace 170

August, Last French and Angevin invasion; William’s
1058 defensive policy; advance and ravages of the
French 170–172

The French at Varaville; William’s march; the
French surprised and cut to pieces; the King
retreats 172–177

Peace with France; restoration of Tillières 177

1060 Death of King Henry; his Russian marriage 177–178

1059 Coronation of Philip the First 178

1060 Baldwin of Flanders Regent for Philip; death of
Geoffrey Martel; his dominions divided between
his nephews 179–180

1058 Coincidence of the Battle of Varaville with
Harold’s pilgrimage; change in the state of
Gaul after the deaths of Henry and Geoffrey 180–182

§ 3. _The War of Maine._ 1060–1064.

1060–1063 Banishment of various Norman nobles; affairs of
Saint Evroul; Synod of Caen 183–185

Old Norman claims over Maine; early history of the
country; ecclesiastical and popular element at
Le Mans 185–188

924–978 Alleged grants of Maine to Rolf, to Hugh the Great,
and to Geoffrey Grisegonelle 188–189

Rivalry of the Counts of Maine with the Bishops
and with the Counts of Anjou 189

960–994 Count Hugh and Bishop Sainfred 189–190

987–994 Fulk Nerra overruns Maine 190

1015–1036 Count Herbert Wake-the-Dog 190–193

994–1036 Avesgaud Bishop of Le Mans; his disputes with
Herbert 190–192

1016–1028 Herbert’s relations with Anjou; his share in the
Battle of Pontlevois; his imprisonment at
Saintes 191–192

1035–1051 Hugh Count of Maine; regency of Herbert Bacco 193

1036–1058 Gervase Bishop of Le Mans; he commends the
Bishoprick to Geoffrey Martel; expulsion of
Herbert Bacco 193–194

1044–1051 Gervase imprisoned by Geoffrey Martel 195

1051–1061 Geoffrey Martel occupies Le Mans 195

1051–1058 Gervase takes refuge in Normandy; he becomes
Archbishop of Rheims 195–196

1060 Herbert commends himself to William on the death
of Geoffrey; settlement of the succession 196–199

1063 Herbert dies childless; succession of Walter and
Biota 199–200

War of Maine; William ravages the country;
surrender of Le Mans 201–207

Death of Walter and Biota; William charged with
poisoning them 207–208

Geoffrey of Mayenne still holds out; conquest of
Mayenne 208–212

Betrothal and death of Margaret of Maine 212–213

Importance of the conquest of Maine; its connexion
with that of England 213–215

§ 4. _The Visit of Harold and the Breton War._ 1064?

Position of William and Harold 215–216

Their meeting; contradictory nature of the stories;
connexion between the bequest of Eadward and the
oath of Harold 217–218

Three different versions; Harold’s presence in
Normandy probably accidental; probable presence
of other members of his family 219–221

Harold sets sail at Bosham; he is wrecked in
Ponthieu and imprisoned by Guy 222–223

He is delivered by William 224–226

Harold at Rouen; he engages to marry William’s
daughter and receives knighthood 226–229

Harold joins William in the war against Britanny 229

1040–1066 Conan Count of the Bretons 230

1056–1062 Relations of Conan, Odo, and Hoel; a party in
Britanny favourable to William 230–231

Conan’s challenge; Dol held for William 232–233

March of William and Harold to Dol; description
of the city 233–237

Flight of Conan from Dol 237

Siege and surrender of Dinan 238–240

Harold’s oath; various statements as to time,
place, and terms; question of the relics 240–247

Probable nature of the oath; an engagement to
marry William’s daughter, combined with a formal
homage 248–251

Moral aspect of the case; the English people not
affected 252–253

Summary 254