Comprehensive Study Guide on the Reigns of William I and William II as Chronicled by William of Malmesbury

The Revolt and Downfall of Ralph de Waler and Roger of Hereford

• Background of Ralph de Waler: Ralph was appointed by the King as the Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk. Though of Breton descent on his father’s side, he was described as having a disposition foreign to anything good.

• The Nuptial Conspiracy ($1074$): Ralph became betrothed to the daughter of William Fitz-Osberne. During their wedding banquet, a period marked by the adoption of English luxury and excessive wine consumption by the Normans, Ralph disclosed a design to attack the sovereignty.

• Key Conspirators: The intoxicated guests, their reason clouded by wine, applauded the proposal. Notable conspirators included:

  • Roger, Earl of Hereford: Brother to Ralph’s wife.

  • Waltheof: An influential figure who later repented.

• Repentance and Disclosure: The following day, when the fumes of wine evaporated, many participants repented. Waltheof, upon the recommendation of Archbishop Lanfranc, sailed to Normandy to inform the King, though he reportedly concealed his personal involvement.

• Outcomes of the Rebellion: The King's officers suppressed the rebellion. Ralph fled by sea from Norwich. His wife surrendered the castle in exchange for personal safety. Roger was imprisoned for the remainder of his life, described as a man of "abominable treachery" who failed to emulate his father's virtues.

The Career and Character of William Fitz-Osberne

• Merits and Rank: William Fitz-Osberne was regarded as a peer to the best of princes. He was a primary driver of the invasion of England and a key figure in maintaining possession of the realm.

• Military Liberality: He was known for boundless liberality, paying his soldiers extravagant wages to repel enemies and secure popular favor. However, this profusion exhausted the royal treasury, leading to King William's severe displeasure.

• Legal Regulations in Hereford: Fitz-Osberne established specific county regulations still in force during the chronicler's time. A key rule was that no knight should be fined more than seven shillings ($7\,s$) for any offense, whereas in other provinces, minor faults could cost twenty ($20\,s$) to twenty-five ($25\,s$) shillings.

• Death in Flanders: His success ended when he traveled to Flanders to assist Richelda, the widow of Earl Baldwin. Richelda’s oppressive governance and taxation led to a rebellion. Fitz-Osberne, being in love with her, entered Flanders with a body of troops but was killed by his enemies.

Dynastic Struggles and the Genealogy of Northern Kings

• Flanders and France: After Fitz-Osberne's death, Flanders was ruled by individuals such as Robert Friso. Political alliances were formed through marriage, including the union of King Philip of France and Friso’s daughter-in-law, though Philip later removed her due to her corpulence and married the wife of the Earl of Anjou.

• Danish Succession: The chronology traces the successors of Canute:

  • Harold and Hardecanute: Brief rulers of England and Denmark.

  • Sweyn: A Danish king who faced conflict with Magnus, King of the Norwegians. This culminated in a significant battle on the vigil of St. Lawrence, a day the Danes still commemorate with fasting.

• Norwegian Rulers: Included Harold Harvagre (famous for strangling a lion with his bare arms) and Magnus (slain in Ireland). The sons of the later Magnus, Hasten and Siward, shared the empire, with Siward performing exploits at the siege of Sidon against the Turks.

The Administration and Conquests of William the Conqueror

• Consolidation of Power: William held the Welsh as tributaries and nearly annihilated the county of Maine using English troops. He maintained a defensive posture against Philip of France, despite the rebellion of his own son, Robert.

• The Conflict at Gerborai: Robert, influenced by "evil counsel," engaged his father in battle, wounding him and killing his horse. William’s second son was also injured in the skirmish.

• The Domesday Survey: To secure absolute control, William ordered a comprehensive account of every person and a register of the rent of every estate in England. He also mandated an oath of fidelity from all free men.

• The Threat of Canute of Denmark: Canute prepared over a thousand vessels ($1000$) to invade England, supported by Robert Friso with six hundred ($600$) more, though unfavorable winds delayed the attempt for two years.

The Rise and Fall of Robert Guiscard

• Origins and Ambition: A Norman of middling parentage, Guiscard moved to Apulia with only fifteen ($15$) knights. Through ingenuity and military skill, he became the Duke of Apulia and Calabria.

• Conflict with Emperors and Popes: He assisted Pope Hildebrand against Emperor Henry of Germany, who had besieged Rome to install the antipope Guibert of Ravenna. Guiscard later defeated the forces of Alexius, Emperor of Constantinople.

• Death by Treachery: Guiscard died from poison prepared by his wife, who had been falsely promised an imperial match by Alexius. He was buried at Venusium with an epitaph naming him the ‘terror of the world.’

The Papacy of Hildebrand (Gregory VII)

• Prophetic Intuition: Hildebrand, as Chancellor and later Pope, was said to possess the ability to read secret thoughts. This is illustrated by an anecdote involving Abbat Hugo of Clugny, where Hildebrand corrected Hugo’s internal judgment of him during a crowded procession.

• Miracles and Discipline: In Gaul, Hildebrand exposed a simoniacal bishop by challenging him to recite "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost." The bishop, having purchased his office, could not name the "Holy Ghost."

• Investiture Controversy: Gregory VII excommunicated those who received church investiture (ring and staff) from the laity. This caused a rift with Emperor Henry IV, leading to Henry's eventual misery and death following a revolt by his son.

Religious Foundations and Ecclesiastical Affairs

• Monastic Patronage: William built two major monasteries:

  • St. Stephen at Caen: Endowed with magnificent presents and led by Lanfranc.

  • Battle Abbey (St. Martin): Built near Hastings on the spot where Harold was found among the slain.

• Lanfranc’s Influence: Described as a man of ancient knowledge, Lanfranc excited the Western world to the liberal arts and helped abolish the slave trade to Ireland.

• The Death of Maurilius: Maurilius of Feschamp reportedly died and returned to life for half a day to recount a vision. He described traveling to Jerusalem and Jordan and being terrified by demons to expiate venial sins before his final passing.

Domestic Matters and the Death of William I

• Family Details:

  • Sons: Robert (Duke of Normandy), Richard (died in the New Forest), William (Rufus), and Henry.

  • Daughters: Cecilia (Abbess of Caen), Constantia (poisoned), Adela (Countess of Blois), and two others. One daughter was betrothed to Harold; the other died a virgin while affianced to Alphonso of Gallicia.

• Character and Health: William was of extraordinary corpulence but great strength of arm (he could bend a bow on a galloping horse). He was severely criticized for his anxiety for money, which he used to repel enemies via purchase.

• The Sarcasm of Philip of France: Philip mocked the bedridden William at Rouen, comparing his belly to a woman in labor. William responded by vowing an "offering of a hundred thousand candles" and subsequently burned the city of Mantes.

• Fatal Injury ($1087$): Near the flames of Mantes, William contracted a disorder (compounded by an injury where his belly was ruptured against the front of his saddle). He died on September 6 ($Sept. 6, 1087$) at the age of fifty-nine ($59$) and was buried at Caen. His burial was interrupted by a knight claiming the ground as his rightful patrimony, requiring a payment of one hundred ($100$) pounds of silver to proceed.

Questions & Discussion

• The Controversy of Canterbury and York: A deep dispute existed regarding the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over York.

• The Council of $1072$: Held at Winchester and Windsor. It determined that York was subject to Canterbury. The agreement was signed by William, Matilda, Hubert (Papal Legate), Lanfranc, Thomas of York, and numerous bishops and abbats.

• Jurisdiction: It was decided that bishops should move their sees from villages to cities:

  • Lichfield to Chester.

  • Selsey to Chichester.

  • Helmham to Thetford (later Norwich).

  • Sherborne to Salisbury.

  • Dorchester to Lincoln.

The Reign and Vices of William II (Rufus)

• Accession: Educated by Lanfranc and knighted by him, William II was crowned in September $1087$. He initially faced a revolt from his uncle, Odo of Bayeux, who favored Robert.

• The Siege of Rochester: William suppressed Odo's rebellion by summoning the English people using the shaming term "Nidering" (abandoned), which prompted them to flock to his service.

• Decline in Character: After Lanfranc's death, William's virtues deteriorated. His liberality turned to prodigality. He famously raged at his chamberlain for purchasing boots for three shillings ($3\,s$), demanding a pair worth a mark of silver ($13\,s\,4\,d$).

• Ecclesiastical Abuse: Assisted by Ralph (Flambard), he sold church honors and kept rents for the royal exchequer upon the deaths of bishops and abbats. This led to a decay in military and moral discipline, marked by effeminate fashions and curved-point shoes.

• Religious Tension: William engaged in controversies with Jews, jokingly suggesting he might convert if they defeated bishops in argument. This period also saw the voluntary exile of Archbishop Anselm, who was unable to correct the prevailing depravity.