"It would, in truth, be difficult to deny to William the Conqueror a place among the greatest monarchs of the Middle Ages. He stands four-square, a dominant figure against the background of his own fascinating and tumultuous age. As a warrior he was widely renowned, and probably justly, for...his patience, his organization and his generalship were surely of the highest order. But it is above all for his constructive statesmanship that he commands attention; and here his achievement must appear all the more remarkable when it is recalled that his ceaseless preoccupation with the problems of government was coupled with ceaseless campaigning... To England he gave a new aristocracy and a reconstituted church. At the same time, he was concerned to respect the traditions of the country he conquered, and he revitalized many of its ancient institutions. He made his own contribution to the highly individual character of medieval England, and Anglo-Norman history in the eleventh century cannot be appraised without reference to his characteristic acts."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Political leadersCatholics from FranceMonarchs from EnglandMilitary leaders from the United KingdomNormans
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
William I of England
William I (c. 1028–9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman monarch of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. He was a descendant of Rollo and was Duke of Normandy from 1035 onward. By 1060, following a long struggle to establish his throne, his hold on Normandy was secure. In 1066, following the death of Edward the Confessor, William invaded England, leading an army of Normans to victory over the Anglo-Saxon
9 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by William I of England →
Related Quotes
"See — I have taken England with both my hands."
"Most valiant of men, what availed the power of the Frank king, with all his people, from Lorraine to Spain, against H…"
"Ah! let any one of the English whom our predecessors, both Danes and Norwegians, have defeated in a hundred battles, …"
"I attacked the English of the Northern Shires like a lion. I ordered their houses and corn, with all their belongings…"
"He must be judged by his acts, but his acts are sufficiently illuminating. They leave no doubt of his greatness, but …"
"As a warrior, William was (perhaps inevitably) stained with blood. As a ruler, his avarice was notorious, and his tax…"
"He was harsh and rapacious, personally pious, courageous in adversity, and indomitably tenacious of purpose. He could…"
"As a mere constellation of talent in different fields Anselm, Gregory VII and William the Conqueror were the greatest…"
"Huddar would have been 101 now had he been alive. But then centenaries are not celebrated only to register how old so…"
"I regret I was not there to listen to Balaji Huddar's speech [...] No matter how many times you listen to him, his sp…"