William I (redirected from William the Silent)

William I ¹ Known as "William the Conqueror." 1027?-1087.

King of England (1066-1087) and duke of Normandy (1035-1087). He led the Norman invasion of England (1066) after being promised the English throne by his cousin Edward the Confessor. He defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings and as king adopted a feudal constitution.

---

William I ² Prince of Orange. Known as "William the Silent." 1533-1584.

Dutch stadholder (1579-1584) who was made governor of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht (1559) by Phillip II of Spain. Spurred by the Spanish persecution of Protestants, he led a revolt against Spanish rule (1568-1576).

---

William I ³ also Wilhelm I 1797-1888.

King of Prussia (1861-1888) and emperor of Germany (1871-1888) whose reign was marked by war with Austria (1866), the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), and the wide reforms introduced by Bismarck.

---

William I

n

1. (Biographies / William I (?1027-1087) M, Englishnational of birth: Norman, POLITICS: hereditary ruler) known as William the Conqueror. ?1027-1087, duke of Normandy (1035-87) and king of England (1066-87). He claimed to have been promised the English crown by Edward the Confessor, after whose death he disputed the succession of Harold II, invading England in 1066 and defeating Harold at Hastings. The conquest of England resulted in the introduction to England of many Norman customs, esp feudalism. In 1085 he ordered the Domesday Book to be compiled

2. (Biographies / William I (1120-1166) M, Siciliannational of birth: Norman, POLITICS: hereditary ruler) known as William the Bad. 1120-66, Norman king of Sicily (1154-66)

3. (Biographies / William I (1533-1584) M, Dutch, POLITICS: hereditary ruler) known as William the Silent. 1533-84, prince of Orange and count of Nassau: led the revolt of the Netherlands against Spain (1568-76) and became first stadholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands (1579-84); assassinated

4. (Biographies / William I (1772-1843) M, Dutch, POLITICS: hereditary ruler) 1772-1843, king of the Netherlands (1815-40): abdicated in favour of his son William II

5. (Biographies / William I (1797-1888) M, Germannational of birth: Prussian, POLITICS: hereditary ruler) German name Wilhelm I. 1797-1888, king of Prussia (1861-88) and first emperor of Germany (1871-88)

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

William I - duke of Normandy who led the Norman invasion of England and became the first Norman to be King of England; he defeated Harold II at the battle of Hastings in 1066 and introduced many Norman customs into England (1027-1087) William the Conqueror