William I, known as William the Conqueror, was born in 1028, in Normandy, France. He became the Duke of Normandy in 1035 at age of just 7 years after his father, Robert I, named him as the heir to Normandy. William invaded England in 1066, and defeated the English forces of King Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings. After suppressing subsequent English revolts in what is now known as the Norman Conquest he became the first Norman King of England. He was one of the famous soldiers of the medieval era who conquered a large kingdom from a smaller base. He established a feudal state that brought order, peace, and law to England. He promoted commerce and formed a long-lasting strong central government.
