Editing William the Conqueror (section)

== Early life ==
[[File:Falaise Chateau Guillaume Conquerant 1.jpg|thumb|[[Château de Falaise]] in [[Falaise, Calvados|Falaise]], Lower Normandy, France; William was born in an earlier building here.]]

William was born in 1027 or 1028 at [[Falaise, Calvados|Falaise]], Duchy of Normandy, most likely towards the end of 1028.<ref name=Bates33/><ref name=Official>"[https://www.royal.uk/william-the-conqueror William the Conqueror]" ''Royal Family''</ref>{{efn|The exact date of William's birth is confused by contradictory statements by the Norman chroniclers. [[Orderic Vitalis]] has William on his deathbed claim that he was 64 years old, which would place his birth around 1023. But elsewhere, Orderic states that William was 8 years old when his father left for Jerusalem in 1035, placing the year of birth in 1027. [[William of Malmesbury]] gives an age of 7 for William when his father left, giving 1028. Another source, ''[[De obitu Willelmi]]'', states that William was 59 years old when he died in 1087, allowing for either 1027 or 1028.<ref name=Douglas379>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 379–382</ref>}} He was the only son of [[Robert I, Duke of Normandy|Robert I]], son of Richard II.{{efn|This made Emma of Normandy his great-aunt and Edward the Confessor his cousin.<ref name=Douglas417>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' p. 417</ref><ref name=Douglas420>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' p. 420</ref>}} His mother, [[Herleva]], was a daughter of [[Fulbert of Falaise]], who may have been a tanner or embalmer.<ref name=Douglas379 /> Herleva was possibly a member of the ducal household, but did not marry Robert.<ref name=DNB/> She later married [[Herluin de Conteville]], with whom she had two sons&nbsp;– [[Odo of Bayeux]] and Count [[Robert of Mortain]]&nbsp;– and a daughter whose name is unknown.{{efn|This daughter later married William, lord of [[La Ferté-Macé]].<ref name=Douglas379/>}} One of Herleva's brothers, Walter, became a supporter and protector of William during his minority.<ref name=Douglas379/>{{efn|Walter had two daughters. One became a nun, and the other, Matilda, married [[Ralph Tesson]].<ref name=Douglas379/>}} Robert I also had a daughter, [[Adelaide of Normandy|Adelaide]], by another mistress.<ref name=Houts19>van Houts "Les femmes" ''Tabularia "Études"'' pp. 19–34</ref>

Robert I succeeded his elder brother [[Richard III, Duke of Normandy|Richard III]] as duke on 6 August 1027.<ref name=Bates33/> The brothers had been at odds over the succession, and Richard's death was sudden. Robert was accused by some writers of killing Richard, a plausible but now unprovable charge.<ref name=Douglas31>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 31–32</ref> Conditions in Normandy were unsettled, as noble families despoiled the Church and [[Alan III of Brittany]] waged war against the duchy, possibly in an attempt to take control. By 1031 Robert had gathered considerable support from noblemen many of whom would become prominent during William's life. They included the duke's uncle [[Robert II (archbishop of Rouen)|Robert]], the [[archbishop of Rouen]], who had originally opposed the duke; [[Osbern the Steward|Osbern]], a nephew of [[Gunnor]] the wife of [[Richard I, Duke of Normandy|Richard I]]; and [[Gilbert of Brionne]], a grandson of Richard I.<ref name=Douglas32>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 32–34, 145</ref> After his accession, Robert continued Norman support for the English princes Edward and Alfred, who were still in exile in northern France.<ref name=DNB/>

Robert may have been briefly betrothed to a daughter of King Cnut, but no marriage took place. It is unclear whether William would have been supplanted in the ducal succession if Robert had had a legitimate son. Earlier dukes had been [[illegitimate]], and William's association with his father on ducal charters appears to indicate that William was considered Robert's most likely heir.<ref name=DNB/> In 1034 the duke decided to go on [[pilgrimage]] to [[Jerusalem]]. Although some of his supporters tried to dissuade him, he convened a council in January 1035 and had the assembled Norman magnates swear [[fealty]] to William as his heir<ref name=DNB/><ref name=Douglas35/> before leaving for Jerusalem. He died in early July at [[Nicea]], on his way back to Normandy.<ref name=Douglas35>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 35–37</ref>