William Adelin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Adelin
William Adelin
Born	5 August 1103
Died	25 November 1120 Barfleur
Father	Henry I of England

William Adelin (born 1103, died 1120) was a very important person in English history. He was the only son of King Henry I of England. This made him the heir apparent, meaning he was next in line to become king. He was also the Duke of Normandy, a powerful region in France. His nickname, Adelin, meant "crown prince."

William's Early Life

William was born in 1103. His parents were King Henry I of England and Queen Matilda of Scotland. Because he was the king's only son, everyone knew he would be the next king.

Some historians said that young William could be a bit proud. One historian, William of Malmesbury, even wrote that William once said he would make the English people "draw the plough like oxen" if he became king.

When William was about 10 years old, King Henry arranged for him to marry Matilda of Anjou. She was the oldest daughter of Count Fulk V of Anjou. Their marriage was planned for February 1113.

Becoming Duke of Normandy

Even though William was young, his father King Henry gave him the title of Duke of Normandy. This was mostly a title in name. King Henry was being pressured by the French king, Louis VI, to promise his loyalty. King Henry felt it was beneath him to do this.

So, in 1115, King Henry offered to have William promise loyalty to King Louis VI instead. At first, King Louis refused. But after a period of fighting, Louis finally accepted William in 1120. William officially promised his loyalty to King Louis VI in the middle of that year.

While King Henry was often away in Normandy, William's mother, Queen Matilda, helped rule England. After she passed away in 1118, William was old enough to take her place. He served as a regent for about a year. A regent is someone who rules for a king or queen who is too young or away. William had help from his father's trusted advisors.

In June 1119, William and Matilda of Anjou officially married. The wedding took place at the cathedral in Lisieux. As part of the marriage agreement, Matilda brought the lordship of Maine as her dowry.

The White Ship Disaster

William's life ended tragically on November 25, 1120, in what is known as the White Ship disaster. The White Ship was a new vessel. Its captain, Thomas FitzStephen, offered to take King Henry I back to England from Barfleur in Normandy.

King Henry had already made other travel plans. But he allowed his son William Adelin and many other important nobles to use the White Ship. According to a writer named Orderic Vitalis, William and his friends were celebrating and drinking a lot. They also let the ship's crew drink.

By the time the ship was ready to leave, there were about 300 people on board. The captain was told to try and catch up to the king's ship. So, he set sail after dark. But the ship soon hit a hidden rock in the harbor and quickly began to sink.

William Adelin managed to get into a small boat to escape. However, he turned back to try and save his half-sister, Matilda, Countess of Perche. When others tried to climb into William's small boat, it became too heavy and sank. William and all his companions drowned.

William's wife, Matilda of Anjou, was on another ship at the time and survived. King Henry I kept her in England for a while. He hoped to arrange another marriage for her to control the county of Maine. But her father returned from Jerusalem a year later and demanded she come home. Henry eventually sent her back to Anjou. She later became a nun and then the Abbess of Fontevrault.

What Happened Next

The sinking of the White Ship was a huge loss for King Henry. His only son and heir was gone. Several of Henry's other children also drowned. The 300 people who died were some of the richest and most important nobles of that time. It was one of the worst maritime (sea) disasters of the Middle Ages.

William Adelin's body was never found. This meant there could be no funeral or tomb for him. King Henry's good luck seemed to change after this. Since William had died and his wife returned to Anjou, Henry's alliance with her father was broken.

King Henry quickly remarried to Adeliza, the daughter of Godfrey, Duke of Brabant. She was still a teenager and became a popular queen. However, they never had any children. So, King Henry's hope for another male heir to take his place died with William Adelin.

Images for kids

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  Early 14th-century picture of the sinking of the White Ship at Barfleur on 25 November 1120

See also

In Spanish: Guillermo Adelin para niños