William Longsword, 2nd Duke of Normandy (893-942)

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Duke of Normandy
Count of Rouen

William Longsword, 2nd Duke of Normandy, Duke of Normandy, was born circa 893 to Rollo of Normandy (860-932) and Poppa van Bayeux (c870-c910) and died 17 December 942 of assassination. He married Sprota (c898-c950) 932 ^JL . He married Liutgarde de Vermandois (c920-978) .

Vital Statistics

Son of Rollo of Normandy - Viking Warrior and 1st Duke of Normandy and his wife Poppa
Born ca 893 C.E.
930-935 : 1st Marriage to Sprota
936-942 : 2nd Marriage to Liutgard
942-Dec-17 : Assassinated -

Biography

Longsword was the second Duke of Normandy from his father's death until his own assassination. The title dux (duke) was not in use at the time and has been applied to early Norman rulers retroactively; William actually used the title comes (count).

Little is known about his early years. He was born in Bayeux or Rouen to Rollo and his wife Poppa. All that is known of Poppa is that she was a Christian, and the daughter to Berengar of Rennes, the previous lord of Brittania Nova, which eventually became western Normandy. According to the William's planctus, he was baptised a Christian.

Between 935 and 939, William was married to Leutgarde, daughter of Herbert of Vermandois. He had no legitimate children and his successor, Richard was the son of Sprota who he had apparently married in 930 ‘more danico’.

William succeeded Rollo sometime around 927. It appears that he faced a rebellion early in his reign, from Normans who felt he had become too Gallicised. Subsequent years are obscure. In 939 William became involved in a war with Arnulf I of Flanders, which soon became intertwined with the other conflicts troubling the reign of Louis IV. He was killed by followers of Arnulf while at a meeting to settle their conflict. His son Richard the Fearless, child of his first wife, Sprota, succeeded him. William also left a widow, Liègard (Liutgard), who died in 985.

Assassination of William Longsword

In 939, Herbert supported by Arnulf of Flanders besieged Montreuil and its capture gave him all of Ponthieu and Vimeu between the rivers Somme and Bresle. Herluin II sought the support of Hugh the Great to regain his lands but Hugh refused because he already had an alliance with Arnulf. Herluin then turned to William Longsword for help. Troops from the Cotentin attacked and recaptured Montreuil, slaughtering most of Arnulf’s garrison. But at a price. Herluin had placed his lands under the protection of the Normans and performed homage to William for his help. The Normans were now assured of a buffer between their borders and those of Flanders.

For Arnulf, Hugh the Great and other Carolingian lords the Normans remained undesirable intruders in France and they decided to eliminate William who was becoming too powerful and was increasingly playing a role in the politics of the French monarchy. It was at this moment that Arnulf sent messengers to William Longsword, saying that he wanted to settle their conflict over Montreuil. William went to the meeting on an island in the river Somme at Picquigny, where he was murdered by Arnulf’s men on 18th December 942.

Residence at Falaise

In Falaise France, is a series of statues that pays tribute to the six Norman Dukes from Rollo to William Conqueror. The castle here was the principal residence of the Norman Knights.

Château Guillaume-le-Conquérant Place Guillaume le Conquérant / 14700 Falaise / Tel: 02 31 41 61 44

History of Norman Dukes
Homepage - Falaise Castle of William the Conqueror - In French.

Marriage and Family

William had no children with his Christian wife Luitgarde.^[1] He fathered his son, Richard, with Sprota.^{[lower-alpha 1]} his wife more danico.^[2] Richard, then aged 10, succeeded as Ruler of Normandy upon William's death in December 942.^[1]

1st Marriage: Sprota

His first marriage-Sprota (c898-c950): Sprota was an early 10th century woman of obscure origin who became wife 'in the Viking fashion' (more danico)^[3]^[4] of William I, Duke of Normandy, by her becoming mother of his successor, Duke Richard I. After the death of William, she married a wealthy landowner, Esperleng, by him having another son, Norman nobleman Rodulf of Ivry.^[5]^[6]^[7] -

2nd Marriage: Liegard (Liutgard)

His second marriage and his widow - no known descendants.

Children

Offspring of William Longsword, 2nd Duke of Normandy and Sprota (c898-c950)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Richard I, Duke of Normandy (933-996)	28 August 933 Fécamp, Upper Normandy, France	20 November 996 Fécamp, Upper Normandy, France	Emma de France (c943-968) Gunnora, Duchess of Normandy (c936-1031)

Siblings

Offspring of Rollo of Normandy (860-932) and Poppa van Bayeux (c870-c910)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
William Longsword, 2nd Duke of Normandy (893-942)	893	17 December 942	Sprota (c898-c950) Liutgarde de Vermandois (c920-978)
Gerloc de Normandie (c912-962)	912 Rouen, Normandy, France	14 October 962	William III of Aquitaine (c900-963)

wikipedia:en:William Longsword
William Longsword at thePeerage
William Longsword, Duc de Normandie - Geni.com
William Longsword at Find A Grave
Norman Dukes 911-1204 - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
From Stewart Baldwin on Guillaume "Longue Épée" of Normandy
FMG on GUILLAUME I "Longuespee" Comte de Normandie - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
Richard I 'the Fearless', Duke of Normandy at Genealogics
Europe Web Genealogy
History of William Longsword

Ancestry Trees

Rollo Family Ancestry
Warenne Family Ancestry
Duke of Normandy
House of Normandy
Statue of William the Conqueror and the other Dukes of Normandy located in Falaise, Calvados, Normandy.
Henry II of England's ancestor, number 192.

Contemporary Resources

Although he was a significant figure in Norman history, there are not many contemporary references about him. However, here are some of the best contemporary references available:

"The Annals of Flodoard of Reims" - This is a chronicle written by the French chronicler Flodoard in the late 10th century. It mentions William Longsword's involvement in a rebellion against King Louis IV of France and his eventual reconciliation with the king.
"The Chronicle of Richer of Reims" - This is another chronicle written by the French historian Richer of Reims in the late 10th century. It provides a brief account of William Longsword's life and reign.
"The History of the Normans" by Dudo of Saint-Quentin - This is a history of the Norman people written by Dudo of Saint-Quentin in the late 10th century. It provides a detailed account of William Longsword's life and reign.
"The Deeds of Robert Guiscard" by William of Apulia - This is a history of the Norman conquest of southern Italy written by William of Apulia in the late 11th century. It mentions William Longsword as one of the ancestors of Robert Guiscard, the Norman conqueror of southern Italy.
"The Gesta Normannorum Ducum" by William of Jumièges - This is a history of the Norman dukes written by William of Jumièges in the 11th century. It provides a detailed account of William Longsword's life and reign, although it was written several generations after his death.

Royal Succession Charts

French nobility
Preceded by Rollo	Count of Rouen c. 927–942	Succeeded by Richard I

References

^ ^a ^b Neveux, p. 90
^ The Normans in Europe, p. 47
^ Van Houts, Gesta Normannorum Ducum, 1994, 1:xxxviii
^ Reynolds, Marriage in the Western Church, 1992, 111
^ Philippe, La Normandie an xe siècle, 1845, 6
^ Crouch, The Normans, 2007, 26
^ Van Houts, The Normans in Europe, 2000, 4

Footnotes (including sources)

MainTour, Bergsmit, Thurstan, Rtol
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[FN90-1] Neveux, p. 90

[3] The Normans in Europe, p. 47

[4] Van Houts, Gesta Normannorum Ducum, 1994, 1:xxxviii

[5] Reynolds, Marriage in the Western Church, 1992, 111

[DLP-6] Philippe, La Normandie an xe siècle, 1845, 6

[DC-7] Crouch, The Normans, 2007, 26

[8] Van Houts, The Normans in Europe, 2000, 4

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