William the Conqueror

A biography of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy and King of England. He ordered a census in 1078 that produced the Domesday Book.

William of Normandy, a young duke with a contested claim to the English throne, faces a desperate struggle to secure his legacy. After his father Robert's death, he must navigate treacherous court politics, rebellious nobles, and his own ambition to claim the crown he believes is rightfully his. The young ruler's journey takes him from the castles of Normandy to the shores of England, where he must overcome the might of King Harold and his loyal army. William's path to power is paved with strategic marriages, political maneuvering, and the brutal realities of medieval warfare. As he prepares for the fateful Battle of Hastings, he must balance the demands of his Norman followers with the need to win the hearts of the English people. His victory at Hastings reshapes the course of English history, but the true cost of his conquest begins to reveal itself in the years that follow.