[WILLIAM I.]
1066–1087.

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Born 1027 = Matilda of Flanders. | +---------------+-----+------+----------+ | | | | Robert, Duke William II. Henry I. Adela = Stephen, Earl of Normandy. | of Blois. d. 1134. | +-----------+-----------+ | | | Theobold Stephen Henry, Bishop of Winchester. CONTEMPORARY PRINCES. _Scotland._ | _France._ | _Germany._ | _Spain._ | | | Malcolm III., | Philip I., | Henry IV., | Sancho II., 1065. 1057. | 1060. | 1056. | Alphonso VI., 1072. POPES.--Alexander II., 1061. Gregory VII., 1073. Vacancy one year. Victor III., 1086. _Archbishops._ | _Chief-Justices._ | _Chancellors._ | | Stigand, | Odo of Bayeux, and William | Herfast, afterwards Bishop 1052–1070. | Fitz-Osbern, 1067. | of Elmham, 1068. Lanfranc, | William de Warenne, and | Osbern, afterwards Bishop 1070–1089. | Richard Fitz-Gilbert, | of Exeter, 1070. | 1073. | Osmund, afterwards Bishop | Lanfranc, Geoffrey of | of Salisbury, 1074. | Coutances, and Robert, | Maurice, afterwards Bishop | Count of Mortain, 1078. | of London, 1078. | | William de Beaufeu, Bishop | | of Thetford, 1083. | | William Giffard, 1086.

Intended resistance of the English.
Election of Eadgar.

The death of Harold left England without a king. As yet, although William had expected the immediate submission of the whole country, no such course was thought of. The idea which occupied men’s minds was the election of a new king, who might continue the defence of the country. The two sons of Ælfgar, the great northern Earls Edwin and Morkere, whose jealousy of Harold had been one of the chief causes of his disaster, found themselves, now that the House of Godwine was practically destroyed, the most prominent leaders of the English. They came to London, and there, collecting about them such nobles and important people as they could readily find, they held an assembly which in some sort represented the Witan. They probably expected that the crown would be given to one of themselves, and that the hour for the triumph of the Mercian house had arrived. They were disappointed in their hopes. Of properly qualified candidates there were none, but the Southern Witan preferred to place the crown upon the head of the grandson of Ironside, the heir of the old royal house, and elected the Ætheling Eadgar, young though he was.[5] It does not seem however that he was actually crowned, that ceremony being postponed till the feast of Christmas.

After the slaughters of the late battles, the means of resistance in the Southern counties must have been much diminished, and when Edwin and Morkere completed their treasonable conduct by again withdrawing their troops, and, though they had accepted the election, refused to give practical support to the defence of Wessex, immediate opposition to the Conqueror became hopeless. No further combined action was possible and no other great battle was fought.

William’s march to London.