In order to pursue this claim, he invaded England in 1066 and defeated [King Harold]? at the [Battle of Hastings]?, thus allowing him to seize the throne. His victory is commemorated in the [Bayeux Tapestry]?.
William initiated many major changes, amongst them a fundamental review of the prevailing Anglo-Saxon legal system, which he fused with Norman law. In order to ascertain the extent of his dominion, William commissioned the compilation of the [Domesday Book]?, a survey of the population of England and their possessions. He also ordered the building of a number of castles, among them the Tower of London.
William was succeeded in 1087 by William II.
Born in 1143, he succeeded [Malcom IV]? as King of Scotland.
He is believed to be the founder of Arbroath Abbey where the Declaration of Arbroath was later drawn up. He was known as the Lion because of his flag, or standard, a red lion rampant on a yellow background. This went on to become the Royal standard of Scotland and is still used today by the British Monarch when in Scotland.
William also arranged the Auld Alliance, the first treaty for mutual self defence between nations. The treaty was agreed by Scotland, France and Norway. Although Norway never took much part in it, it played some part in Franco-Scottish affairs until 1746.
William was also inherited the title of Earl of Northumbria in 1152. However he was forced to give up this title to King Henry II of England in 1157?. This caused trouble after William became king, since he spent a lot of effort trying to regain Northumbria. In 1174 during a raid in support of the revolt by Henry's sons, William was captured by Henry's troops and taken in chains to Northampton, and then transferred to Falaise in Normandy. Henry then sent an army to Scotland and occupied it. As ransom and to regain his kingdom, William had to acknowledge Henry as his feudal superior and agree to pay for the cost of the English army's occupation of Scotland by taxing the Scots. This he did by signing the Treaty of Falaise. He was then allowed to return to Scotland. The Treaty of Falaise remained in force for the next fifteen years. At the end of that time the new English king, [Richard the Lionheart]?, agreed to terminate it in return for 10,000 silver marks. Richard needed the money to take part in the Third Crusade.
William died in Stirling on the 4th December 1214 and was buried in Arbroath Abbey. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander II.
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