Famous Men of the Middle Ages · Ch. XVIII · Unit 6: The Cid and the Norman Conquest
25. William the Conqueror
Goal: Your child can tell why William claimed England, what happened at the battle of Hastings in 1066, and what the curfew and the Domesday Book were.
You'll need
- The book, open to this chapter
- A map of Europe and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
- Paper and colored pencils
- Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
What's in the book
Chapter XVIII (1066-1087): William, Duke of Normandy, says Edward promised him the throne, but Harold is crowned. William crosses with a great army. On October 14, 1066, near Hastings, the Normans attack Harold's men on their hill; William shows his face when a rumor says he is dead; Harold is killed at sunset. William is crowned on Christmas Day, 1066. After rebellions he rules harshly, lays waste a large region, orders the curfew bell, and has the Domesday Book made. He is hurt when his horse stumbles at Mantes and dies abandoned.
The lesson, step by step
Set the scene
Find Normandy, then cross the English Channel to Hastings on the south coast of England. Say: Rollo, the Viking of Chapter XII, was William's forefather.
Read the chapter
Read Chapter XVIII aloud. It begins:
On the death of Edward the Confessor the throne of England was claimed by William, Duke of Normandy.
Heads-up: the book says that William laid waste a large territory so that thousands died of hunger. It is told in one sentence.
Tell it back
Prompts:
- Why did William think he should be king of England?
- How did the battle go, and what did William do when his men thought he was dead?
- When and where was William crowned?
- Why did he change from gentle to harsh?
Words from history
Read this:
The bell was called the "curfew," from the French words couvre feu, meaning to cover fire.
SayWe still use the word curfew for a time when people must be home. The Domesday Book listed every estate, its owner and its value, so everyone could be taxed. It still exists.
Talk it over
Read William's shout:
I live! I live! Fight on! We shall conquer yet!
Ask: Why did one rumor nearly lose the battle? Why did showing his face save it?
Remember it
Add to the timeline: "1066 Battle of Hastings. William crowned on Christmas Day." Say: 1066 and all that. The Normans brought their French language to England, and many English words come from it.
Extra (optional)
Look up pictures of the Bayeux Tapestry, a long embroidered cloth made soon after the battle that tells the whole story of the Norman Conquest in pictures.
Afterwards
Ask: What happened in 1066? until the answer comes easily.
Tip
The book's ending is grim (his sons and servants leave him). You can sum it up as "he died alone, with few friends."
Answers to the book's problems
He said Edward had promised him the throne in thanks for his kindness in Normandy. The Normans could not break the English stockades at first and fought all day; when a cry went up that William was slain, he pulled off his helmet and rode along the lines shouting that he lived; at sunset Harold was killed. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1066. While he was away in Normandy many English nobles rebelled, and when he came back he made severe laws. The rumor made his men panic; seeing him alive gave them courage again.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.