General Notes

She was of very small stature and very little is known about her early years. Being a descendant of the English King Alfred The Great was one reason why William, Duke of Normandy, sought her in marriage. Apparently she refused him as she did not want to be married to a bastard. Furious, William forced entry to her room and gave her a beating. However, this rather unconventional behaviour resulted in her changing her mind and they married in 1051, although they had to wait until 1059 before the papal dispensation arrived. William relied heavily on her and she acted as regent in Normandy whenever he was absent. After the conquest of England, she was crowned William The Conqueror's queen at Winchester. She went to the north of England with him and at Selby gave birth to the future King Henry I, probably their tenth or eleventh child. In the year 1069 she went back to the Duchy of Normandy where she remained in charge. When she became ill in 1083, William The Conqueror hurried over from England to be with her. However, she died on 2 November 1083 at Caen and was buried there.
Source: Leo van de Pas