Invasion of England
To fight off Cnut a tax is raised on landowners & collected by an army of mercenaries
Role range: 1066-1087
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
William I the Conqueror Biography and Timeline — Page 7
Follow William I the Conqueror through 277 dated historical records for England.
William I the Conqueror, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
277Distinct records
7 of 7Page
1085–1087Years on this page
1085
Succession
Succeeds as King of England. Canute revives the claim of his father King Swein to the English throne
Role range: 1066-1087
Continental Troops Brought to England
William brings additional soldiers from the continent as a precaution against the threatened Danish attack.
Role range: 1066-1087
Danish Invasion Threat
A threatened invasion by King Cnut IV of Denmark causes William to strengthen England's military preparedness.
Role range: 1066-1087
1086
Direct Loyalty of Tenants
The Salisbury gathering emphasizes that major landholders owe allegiance to William regardless of intermediate feudal relationships.
Role range: 1066-1087
Oath of Salisbury
William summons leading landholders to Old Sarum, where they swear loyalty directly to him.
Role range: 1066-1087
Oath
On Lammas Day William I summons 170 of his tenants-in-chief and other landowning men of any account to Old Sarum, where they all swore allegiance in person to him and to be faithful against all other men, this establishes feudalism
Role range: 1066-1087
Commission
The Royal commissioners oblige landowners to give information under oath
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Agricultural Resources
The inquiry records plough teams, meadow, pasture, woodland and other resources that contribute to the value of estates.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Book
A national valuation list, estimating the annual value of all the land in the country, at the time of Edward the Confessor's death, when the new owners received it, at the time of the survey, and the potential value as well for the purposes of taxation.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Book
Reveals England has a population of 1.5 million.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Book
The Domesday Book is in two parts, "Little Domesday" (covering Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex) and "Great Domesday" (covering much of the remainder of England and parts of Wales, except for lands in the north which later became Westmorland, Cumberland, Northumberland, and the County Palatine of Durham but no surveys were
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Book
The survey's main purpose is to determine what taxes had been owed during the reign of King Edward the Confessor.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Book
made of the City of London and Winchester, probably due to their tax-exempt status.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Commissioners Dispatched
Royal commissioners travel through England collecting sworn evidence in local courts for William's national survey.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Landholding Inquiry
The survey records who held each estate before the Conquest and who holds it under William.
Role range: 1066-1087
Domesday Valuation Inquiry
William's commissioners record past and current estate values to clarify taxation and royal revenue.
Role range: 1066-1087
Doomsday Book
A manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror
Role range: 1066-1087
Doomsday Book
Commissioned to list assets of landowners for taxation & administration
Role range: 1066-1087
Great Domesday Compilation
Survey returns for most counties are condensed into the volume later known as Great Domesday.
Role range: 1066-1087
Little Domesday Survey
Detailed returns for East Anglia are preserved in the volume later known as Little Domesday.
Role range: 1066-1087
Oath
Replaces Englands Earls with his supporters. Private wars are outlawed. Meets 170 Tenants-in-Chief & other Lords at Salisbury obtaining an oath of fealty
Role range: 1066-1087
Royal Revenue Assessment
William uses the Domesday inquiry to improve knowledge of the resources available for taxation and defence.
Role range: 1066-1087
1087
Anglo-Norman Realm Divided
William's death separates Normandy from the English crown, with different sons positioned to inherit the two realms.
Role range: 1066-1087
Death of William I the Conqueror
Death of William I the Conqueror
Role range: 1066-1087
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy is left to Robert & England is left to William Rufus
Role range: 1066-1087
Succession
Williams sons Robert, William & Henry outlive him
Role range: 1066-1087
Will
The Duchy of Normandy is left to Robert & England is left to William Rufus
Role range: 1066-1087
Burial
Buried at the Abbey of St Stephen, Caen
Role range: 1066-1087
Henry Receives Silver Bequest
William leaves his youngest son Henry a large monetary inheritance rather than a territorial principality.
Role range: 1066-1087
Prisoners Released Before Death
Before his death, William orders the release of several prisoners, including his half-brother Odo of Bayeux.
Role range: 1066-1087
Robert Confirmed as Heir to Normandy
William confirms that his eldest son Robert Curthose is to inherit the Duchy of Normandy.
Role range: 1066-1087
William Rufus Sent Toward England
William allows his son William Rufus to seek the English crown as the king's final illness worsens.
Role range: 1066-1087
Final Illness
William becomes gravely ill after the Mantes campaign and is taken toward Rouen for his final days.
Role range: 1066-1087
The Doomsday book reveals 35% of land is
The Doomsday book reveals 35% of land is arable, 30% pasture & 15% woodland. Reveals the Church owns 27%, monarchy 17% & immigrant Barons 49% of land value
Role range: 1066-1087
Attack on Mantes
William attacks Mantes during his final campaign against French pressure on Normandy's frontier.
Role range: 1087-1087 – 1066-1087
Vexin Counter-Offensive
William launches a counter-offensive in the Vexin after renewed conflict with King Philip I of France.
Role range: 1087-1087 – 1066-1087
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.