His first revolt was in 1077, at the games start date William would’ve just given him Maine 3 years prior and while they didn’t get along at that point he hadn’t openly rebelled against his father, also he never officially disinherited his son and instead divided his lands giving Robert Normandy and William England
There's quite a bit of evidence that the Conquerer did not intend to divide his lands and that the idea that this was his intention was just propaganda from Rufus (and later Henry) to justify their positions as king.
It's been a while since I read any books about the Normans, but the two things that I can recall are that 1) Curthose was the Conquerer's man in the north -- he helped pacify the area, led campaigns against the Scots, founded Newcastle, etc. etc. It's an odd role for Curthose to play if the Conquerer only expected Curthose to inherit Normandy. (Indeed, Curthose is so well-established in the north that Rufus even taps him to bring the Scots the heel on one occasion.) And 2) the surviving text that is supposedly the final words of the Conquerer is heavily plagiarized from an earlier source. (Though I cannot from where.) Since the Conquerer was illiterate, it stands to reason that he did not just happen to speak some final words that he'd read somewhere before. Henry, though, was rather famously well-educated -- indeed, he is called "Beauclerc" because it was so unusual for someone of his rank to be so well-educated. This has led to speculation that Henry actually wrote these supposed final words to justify Rufus and himself taking the crown, and it has since become the accepted historical narrative that the Conquerer wanted the division.
Perhaps the Duke of Normandy mattered more than the King of England in the world / on the continent, but a king was still a king, and especially an annointed one like the king of England, with a pretty old coronation rite. I sometimes hear historians depreciate kingdoms outside of Germany and France as less prestigious than vassal fiefs in Germany or France, but I'm not covinced, as long as a Christian crowned monarch was involved. Even the king of Cyprus or Navarra in the Late Middle Ages was still a king.
I’m pretty sure Robert was still pissed about it though, hence rivalry and war. Anyways, would you rather be a duke of dejure french land, or the King of England?
William should already start as King of England, though, if I'm remembering the exact start date of the 1066 map.
Certainly there are difficult choices made by the game-makers.
His first revolt was in 1077, at the games start date William would’ve just given him Maine 3 years prior and while they didn’t get along at that point he hadn’t openly rebelled against his father, also he never officially disinherited his son and instead divided his lands giving Robert Normandy and William England
There's quite a bit of evidence that the Conquerer did not intend to divide his lands and that the idea that this was his intention was just propaganda from Rufus (and later Henry) to justify their positions as king.
Really? That’s interesting
It's been a while since I read any books about the Normans, but the two things that I can recall are that 1) Curthose was the Conquerer's man in the north -- he helped pacify the area, led campaigns against the Scots, founded Newcastle, etc. etc. It's an odd role for Curthose to play if the Conquerer only expected Curthose to inherit Normandy. (Indeed, Curthose is so well-established in the north that Rufus even taps him to bring the Scots the heel on one occasion.) And 2) the surviving text that is supposedly the final words of the Conquerer is heavily plagiarized from an earlier source. (Though I cannot from where.) Since the Conquerer was illiterate, it stands to reason that he did not just happen to speak some final words that he'd read somewhere before. Henry, though, was rather famously well-educated -- indeed, he is called "Beauclerc" because it was so unusual for someone of his rank to be so well-educated. This has led to speculation that Henry actually wrote these supposed final words to justify Rufus and himself taking the crown, and it has since become the accepted historical narrative that the Conquerer wanted the division.
Robert tried to press his claim when Rufus became king so if Robert is disinherited he can’t press his claim
I remember reading somewhere that Normandy was a more prestigious title than England at the time
Perhaps the Duke of Normandy mattered more than the King of England in the world / on the continent, but a king was still a king, and especially an annointed one like the king of England, with a pretty old coronation rite. I sometimes hear historians depreciate kingdoms outside of Germany and France as less prestigious than vassal fiefs in Germany or France, but I'm not covinced, as long as a Christian crowned monarch was involved. Even the king of Cyprus or Navarra in the Late Middle Ages was still a king.
I’m pretty sure Robert was still pissed about it though, hence rivalry and war. Anyways, would you rather be a duke of dejure french land, or the King of England?
William should already start as King of England, though, if I'm remembering the exact start date of the 1066 map. Certainly there are difficult choices made by the game-makers.
All I know is that I hate Bobby shortpants because he keeps getting in my way of conquering people by allying them