William Adelin (1103-1120) was a member of the House of Normandy. He was the only legitimate son of King Henry I and Edith (Matilda) of Scotland. His death in the White Ship disaster caused a succession crisis.
Contents
William Adelin Family Tree Image
William Adelin Family Tree in Table Form
William Adelin Short Biography
William Adelin Family Tree Image showing:
grandparents, parents, sibling and wife
William Adelin Family Tree in Table Form showing:
grandparents, parents, sibling and wife
GRANDPARENTS
Paternal Grandfather – William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, King of England – (1028 – 1087)
Paternal Grandmother –Matilda of Flanders – (c.1031 – 1083)
Maternal Grandfather – Malcolm III, King of Scotland – (c1031 – 1093)
Maternal Grandmother – Margaret of Wessex – (c.1045 – 1093)
PARENTS
Father – Henry I, King of England – (c.1068 – 1135)
Mother – Edith (Matilda) of Scotland – (1080 – 1118)
SIBLING
William Adelin– (1103 – 1120)
MARRIED
Matilda of Anjou – (1107 – 1154)
CHILDREN
No children
GRANDCHILDREN
No grandchildren
William Adelin Short Biography
William Adelin was born on 5th August 1103, the eldest son of King Henry I and Edith (Matilda) of Scotland. He was named Adelin as son of a King. The word Adelin is the Norman version of the Anglo-Saxon term Aetheling.
Details of William’s early life are not recorded, but as heir to the throne it is likely he was well educated, possibly by monks, and also skilled in weaponry and horsemanship. King Henry I was ruler of both England and Normandy and when he was in Normandy William’s mother acted as regent. Henry often witnessed charters suggesting he was being prepared for Kingship.
In 1113, William was betrothed to Matilda of Anjou as part of a treaty between Normandy and Anjou. The marriage took place in 1119.
Normandy was frequently in conflict with France and in 1119, King Louis VI of France demanded that Henry pay homage to him. Henry did not want to do this so gave William the title so that he could meet with the French King. The ceremony took place in 1120 with a large retinue of Norman nobles present.
After celebrations the party were to return to England by ship from Barfleur. William was invited to take a new, faster ship named the White Ship. Before sailing it is recorded that large quantities of wine were consumed by both crew and passengers.
It was dark by the time the ship set sail on 25th November 1120, and as it exited the harbour is struck rocks and sank. Williams bodyguards managed to get him into a smaller emergency boat. However, William then heard the cries of his half-sister Matilda and insisted they go to her aid. The emergency boat capsized and sank. All those on the White Ship, including William Adelin, were drowned. The sole survivor was a butcher from Rouen who told the tale of the sinking.
The loss of William Adelin caused a succession crisis as Henry I had no other legitimate children apart from his daughter and as there had never been a queen before it was unlikely she would be accepted by the magnates. Although Henry exacted promises from the nobility to support Matilda’s claim, it was Henry’s nephew, Stephen of Blois that was crowned.
Published October 2024 – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this William Adelin Family Tree:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2024). William Adelin Family Tree 1103-1120. Available: https://www.treesofblue.com/william-adelin-family-tree-1103-1120. Last accessed October 22nd, 2024