William I

William the Conqueror. Reigned 1066-1087. He was a cousin of Edward the Confessor, King of England, who, in 1051, had dangled before him the prospect of succeeding to the English throne, perhaps to win Norman support in a quarrel with his powerful father-in-law, Earl Godwin. Edward was childless. But one other candidate was Harold, the son of Earl Godwin and the brother of Edward's wife Judith. On his deathbed Edward nominated Harold as his heir, and William prepared to invade England, with the support of the Pope.