William I

William had always been thought of as a ruler, especially because of the superstitions of the time. At one point the women "tested" William. They placed him on top of a pile of straw. When he started to grab at the straw, the women took that as that he had started to "amass and acquire." This was taken as a foretelling of what William would accomplish later in his life.

 

When William was about six or seven years old (c.1033-1035), his father Robert the Magnificent went on a journey to Jerusalem. He appointed his son, William, as the Duke of Normandy. Then, all of his father's vassals swore an oath of loyalty to William. Robert then accompanied his son to the court of King Henry of France so William could swear his allegiance to Henry. For his house life Robert appointed a few people to work with William. He appointed Gilbert of Brionne to be William's conquerer, Thurold to be William's tutor, and Osbern Crépon to be the major-domo.