LaManche
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Young William's guardians
Blimey, it's been a bit too quiet around here recently?
I was reading recently regarding these fascinating Norman, Breton and French nobles and kinsmen of the young, vulnerable Duke William during his minority.
Count Alan III of Brittany, a staunch guardian, died in 1040 whilst besieging a rebel castle.
Count Gilbert, William's cousin was assassinated in 1041 whilst out riding.
Several cousins were killed or assassinated, including Turold (1041)
How many others died protecting the young Conqueror?
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5/26/2009, 10:31 pm
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mousteriana
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Re: Young William's guardians
LaManche:
I don't know about the others, but somehow, I'm not real surprised. Normandy appears to have been awfully "disorderly" even before there was a William. There seem to have been a fair number of power struggles over succession, and this seems to have resulted in some Dukes of Normandy either getting killed off shortly after they succeeded, or else hanging on by the skin of their teeth. When Robert "the Magnificent"(or "the Devil" if you prefer), died, William was all of about 7 or 8 years old. Child rulers at that time, and much later, too, were always vulnerable. I do remember reading that some accounts claim there was an assassination attempt *on William himself* during his earlier years; one of his guardians was killed fending off this attempt when the child William was supposedly asleep in his bed. I can't quite remember who the guardian was -- William Fitz Osbern? In any case, the guardian was killed and William saw this happening, acording to the chronicles. Also, though perhaps exaggerations, the child William had to be moved, dressed in peasant clothes, to some location where assassins presumably wouldn't find him. Not a pretty picture, and it may be why William was so "tough" as an adult(and, IMO basically insecure).
Anne G
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5/28/2009, 8:09 pm
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