History
William, duke of Normandy from 1035 and king of England from 1066, died on 9 September 1087. The Bayeux Tapestry tells the campaign his court wanted remembered: the oath, the crossing, and Hastings on 14 October 1066.
The bookmark opens on 15 September 1066. Harold is king. Harald Hardrada has not yet died at Stamford Bridge. The invasion is the opening war, and the harder part is keeping Normandy and England in one hand afterward.
He won at Hastings on 14 October 1066 and was crowned at Westminster on Christmas Day. He died on 9 September 1087. The duchy and the kingdom then split: Robert Curthose held Normandy, and William Rufus held England. Henry I took the duchy back at Tinchebray in 1106.
In the game
| Seat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start | 1066, opening 15 September |
| Bookmark | The Fate of England |
| Title | Normandy |
| Realm size | 9 counties |
| Status | Independent |
| Difficulty | Medium, the bookmark rating in patch 1.20.1.2 |
| Culture | Norman |
| Faith | Catholicism |
| Age | 39 |
How to play
Goal. Win the English crown and hold Normandy and England together.
The opening date is 15 September 1066. Harold Godwinson is king. Harald Hardrada has not yet fought at Stamford Bridge. The English war is the first act. After a victory, read the succession law before you create a second kingdom-rank title. Normandy and England can pass to different sons, which is what the next generation does with the two realms. The England and Normandy pages follow both seats through the 1178 bookmark.
Where this run fails. Losing the invasion, leaving the English vassals unsettled after a victory, or letting succession split Normandy from England.