William I was the first Norman Kind
of English, but he first went by the title William the II when he was only the
Duke of Normandy. He was descendant from the Viking raiders and had been the
Duke of Normandy since 1035, until, on October 14, 1066, he had successfully
conquered England at the Battle of Hastings. The Battle of Hastings was the
event that most characterized his life—he now had control of England, and was
about to change the language of the government of the country. With him to
battle he took 5,000 infantry and 3,000 knights, while his opponent, Harold, had over 8,000 men total. Even though William was outnumbered, he still
lead his men to victory. This victory awarded him not only a new country under his control, but also his most popular nickname, William the Conqueror. With England under his rule, he commanded the English
language, that of which was spoke by the entire country before his arrival, to
the lower class and the peasants. This left an apparent divide in the cultures
of the area, but as generations passed, marriages brought families together,
and business deals were conducted, the cultures slowly started to merge
together. Eventually there was little to no distinction between the two
peoples, which greatly influenced the English language and helped mold it into
the language we speak today.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MEDwilliam1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_the_Conqueror
