William the Conqueror/Bio & Battles

"See, my lords, I have taken possession of England with both my hands."

- William the Conqueror

Born in the Duchy of Normandy in 1028, William I, commonly known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the Duke of Normandy from 1035 to his death, famous for his conquest of Anglo-Saxon England, after which he became King of England.

William was the bastard son of Robert I of Normandy and his mistress. Robert died when William was seven, with William as his only heir. Because of William's youth and illegitimacy, many of Normandy's nobles refused to accept him as duke. A period of civil strife began, with many different nobles seeking to claim the duke's throne.

William gained supporters as he aged, and eventually consolidated enough power to end the chaos and secure his position as Duke of Normandy. He furthered secured his position with a political marriage to Matilda of Flanders, which granted him Flanders as a powerful ally.

In 1066, the childless King Edward of England died. A succession crisis began, with many different kings and dukes seeking to claim the throne. The English witan chose Harold Godwinson as king, but that did not stop William from preparing a fleet and began his own invasion of England.

William met Godwinson on the battlefield at the Battle of Hastings. Godwinson's men were tired from their recent battle against Harald Hardrada, but they held a tactical advantage from atop a hill. William baited Godwinson's men down from the hill through feigned retreats, and cut them down. Godwinson himself was killed by a Norman arrow, and the leaderless army was easily crushed.

William was crowned King of England on Christmas Day of that year. He spent the rest of his life securing his house's control over England. William's youngest son would become Henry I of England, and and his descendants would rule England for centuries to come.

Battle vs. Charlemagne (by Lachlan Blake)
None written.

Expert's Opinion
TBW

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Henry V of England (by Deathblade 100)
William:

Henry:

Henry V and five of his army stand outside a castle. A trebuchet being drawn back. Two of Henry's men have their Longbows in hand. Inside the castle, William the Conqueror orders two of his Norman soldiers to arm the Torsion Catapult. One of the Normans fires his Composite Crossbow at the attacking English, to no effect.

The Trebuchet is fired, destroying part of a wall. The shattered stone fragments hit one of the Norman crossbowmen, killing him. An arrow from a Longbow hits another Norman behind an arrowslit. One of the Norman duke's men fires his Crossbow, hitting an English knight in the eye. A rock form the Torsion Catapult is released, crushing another Engilsh knight.

An arrow from the Longbow catches a Norman in the base of the throat. Henry ordered his men to scale the walls. Two of the English knights carried a siege ladder to the walls and began to climb. As soon as an English soldier climbed over the wall, a thrust from a broadsword sent him falling back down to the ground. Another English warrior scaled the ladder and drove his longsword though the Norman's flimsy chainmail.

The remaining knights and the English king scale the walls to the castle. A shot from a crossbow took out one of the knights. An arrow shot back killing the crossbowman. As Henry and his last knight start to seek out the Duke of Normandy, the Norman leader emerges from around a tower, kite shield in hand. The Norman's Broadsword whistled down through the last knight's plate armour and neck.

Henry turned and raised his Heater Shield, as the Broadsword came whistling down in a deadly arc. The Norman duke struggled to free the sword from the shield just as Henry thrusts with his longsword, piercing the Duke's heart. As the Duke of Normandy falls of the battlements, Henry raises his sword and yells "For Britain!" in victory.

Expert's Opinion
While William did have a more superior catapult, Henry's better Bow, Sword and Armour was what swung the battle to the English King's favour.

To see the original weapons, tactics and votes, click here

Battle vs. Richard the Lionheart (by ILoveBattles)
William:

Richard:



Richard the Lionheart and 5 soldiers get off a boat and see William the Conquerer on a hill. Richard points at the leader and the two archers fire. They miss, but hit William’s horse in the leg, rendering it useless. The Conquerer runs down the hill, and the Crusaders quickly follow.



William’s soldiers come out of nowhere and start attacking the crusaders. One shoots a crossbow bolt into another archers neck.



The full blown battle begins as metal and steel clashes. Richard the Lionheart flies in on his horse and impales a soldier on his longsword.



The battle becomes more clear as William the Conquerer is almost defeated by a Crusader, but he pulls out his seax and stabs him in the stomach with it.



Richard comes back around for another attack, but is whacked off his horse by a pike. He tumbles and slowly gets up. Meanwhile, William the Conquerer is also injured as he lumbers away and grabs his broadsword. A crusader archer shoots at him, but misses and kills one of William’s soldiers instead. .



William attacks and breaks the longbow of the archer. The archer pulls out his war axe and swipes at William, but it’s no use as William decapitates him with the broadsword.



The crusader guards Richard as he readies his Longsword. Both of them charge and they meet the 3 remaining soldiers. William stays back, but Richard skillfully dispatches one while the other Crusader kills William’s other soldier with his billhook.



To retaliate, William finds his pike and kills the other Crusader with it.

<p class="p2" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">

<p class="p1" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">William and Richard stare at each other, both injured from the battle. William attacks with the pike, but Richard quickly uses the tip of his longsword to knock it off the hill. He allows him to get up, and grab his broadsword.

<p class="p2" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">

<p class="p1" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">One clash of the swords and Richard pulls out his war axe and chops William’s leg off with it. William begs for his life, but Richard grabs the sword with two hands and thrusts it through his chest.

<p class="p2" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">

<p class="p1" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">He pulls the sword out of William and kicks his corpse off the rocky hill onto the beach.

<p class="p1" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:22px;">Richard limps away using his longsword as a stand, but lifts his war axe up in triumph.

Expert's Opinion
TBW

To see the original battle, weapons and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Robin Hood (by MilenHD)
At a road in England leading at village in Nottinggamshire,William the Conqueror and 4 Norman knights are coming to get rid of the problematic thieves.As they crossed the opened gates of the village,one of the people who turned saw the king and bowed down along with many more around him.As William dismounted his horse and told them to get up.As the people rosed up,William showed a sheet of paper showing Robin's face and had spoken: "Citezens of Nottinggam,I had come here as a good king to stop the problematic thief and his gang,if you know were they are,tell me and I will go and erase them.

One of the villagers said:

"Your majesty,the thieves are hiding in the west side of the village"

Hearing this,William pulled his sword and ordered his soldiers to get west.Just there Robin with his gang memebers:Little John,Will Scarlett,Friar Tuck and a new recruit to his gang were sitting and thinking about their next attack against the Sheriff,but little did they know that they had been spotted by the Norman king and his troops.William ordered his knights to fire their crossbows and they killed the new recruit by piercing his skull.

Robin:1234

William:12345

As Robin and his band got up,they aimed the bows,and killed one of the Normans and the other Normans retreated behind one of the houses.

Robin:1234

William:1234

Robin told his group to split in two and catch the Normans off-guard.As William and the Normans saw that their enemies had tricked them,he gave an order to find but stay together as Will and Friar were stalking them,Will fired an arrow,which missed it's target and one of the Normans,decided to go and check what happening,only to get his face demolished by the hatchet.

Robin:1234

William:123

As they heard his dying scream,the Normans and William assaulted the thieves with their axes and swords.First Friar chest got pierced by William's broadsword,while Will was unable with his hatchet to stand against the dane axe of the Norman,which decapitated him.

Robin:12

William:123

Robin and John were moving slowly,but after they approached closer,they saw Will and Friar butchered,John aimed his bow and fired an arrow,killing one of the Normans.

Robin:12

William:12

William and his last Norman attacked Robin and Little John,and John pulled his quarterstaff and he managed to smack and knock down the Norman,but William attacked him with his sword,breaking the staff in half and Little John pulled his broadsword,while Robin tried to kill the Norman with his own sword,the Norman escaped with his long seax and stabbed John in the throat.

Robin:1

William:12

Than William and his last soldier charged at Robin Hood,while Robin was holding his sword,he swung it and killed the Norman,than he turned his attention toward William,who had his sword and shield ready.

Robin:1

William:1

Than both warriors clashed with Robin having only sword and William sword & shield combo,he though he will lose,but he grabbed Will's hatchet and smashed it at William's shield and pulling it away from him.Than with his final breath Robin slashed with full force slicing the King's throat.

Robin:1

William:

Seeing he had slayed the Norman Duke,and restored the Anglo-Saxony in England,Robin looked at his dead gang and he falled on his knees and roared in anger,for his lost team-mates.

Expert's Opinion
It was no doubt one of the closest battle ever I had in Season 2.While William had better mid range weapon,training and superior tactics,Robin was both good in long and short range category,also William's crossbow might have been more effective in urban scenario,but Robin's mobility,archery and the fact that he had faced similar opponents before helped him to win.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.