Was William The Conqueror An Evil Man Or A Good Leader?
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How far do you agree that William the Conqueror was an evil man but a great leader?
It is rather difficult to ignore the struggles William the Conqueror was faced with during his lifetime and, to say the least, he managed to overcome them successfully; considering his many triumphs, it is hard to make sheer luck responsible. From his illegitimate origins, going through the brawl to retain his rightful position as Duke of Normandy, the Conquest of England and the struggle to consolidate his hold of both England and his continental lands, he had to have some sort of ability for leadership. Regarding his persona, adjectives to describe him range from ruthless, greedy, and cruel to affectionate, pious and faithful.
Born around 1028, he became known to his contemporaries as William the Bastard, the illegitimate son of Robert ‘the Devil’ (or the Magnificent), Duke of Normandy, and his mistress Herleve (sometimes called Arlette). Following his father’s departure to go on a pilgrimage in 1034 and his subsequent death, he found himself amidst a civil war over his duchy. Being only seven or eight years old, he witnessed extreme violence and had to learn how to survive; his early years were marked by brutality and disorder.bc It is rather likely that his formative years had great influence in his character, there were several unsuccessful