Why did William have the strongest claim to the throne?
William – William was an ambitious and powerful ruler in Normandy. He wanted to build up his power, so the Normans could have a great empire, like their Viking ancestors. Harald Hardrada – Harald was a famous Viking warrior and skilled commander. He already had secure control over his own land.
Was William the Conqueror the rightful king of England?
William then marched on London and received the city’s submission. On Christmas Day, 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned the first Norman king of England, in Westminster Abbey, and the Anglo-Saxon phase of English history came to an end.
On what two reasons did William base his claims to the throne of England?
William’s claim to the English throne was based on his assertion that, in 1051, Edward the Confessor had promised him the throne (he was a distant cousin) and that Harold II – having sworn in 1064 to uphold William’s right to succeed to that throne – was therefore a usurper.