William Clito Family Tree & Biography (1102-1128)

 

William Clito (1102-1128) was a member of the House of Normandy. He was the only child of Robert Curthose (eldest son of William the Conqueror) and Sybilla of Conversano. He became Count of Flanders in 1127.

Contents

William Clito Family Tree Image
William Clito Family Tree in Table Form
Robert Clito Short Biography

 

William Clito Family Tree Image showing:

grandparents, parents and wives

 

 

William Clito Family Tree in Table Form showing:

grandparents, parents and wives

 

William Clito Short Biography

Early Years

William was born on 25th October 1102, the only son of Robert Curthose, eldest son of William I and Sybilla of Conversano. Much of his life was marked by continuous, though ultimately unsuccessful, attempts to secure the Duchy of Normandy.

William’s father, Robert Curthose, became Duke of Normandy on the death of his father, while his younger brother, William became King of England. Robert believed, that as the eldest son, he should have inherited both Normandy and England from his father. This resulted in conflict between the two brothers but Robert was not able to press his claim. He and William did agree that on the death of one the other would inherit both titles.

In 1100 William was killed while hunting in the New Forest. As agreed at Caen Robert should have become King of England, however, his younger brother Henry seized the throne. This led to more conflict and in 1106 Henry defeated Robert at the Battle of Tinchebrai and seized Normandy. Robert was imprisoned and remained in custody for the rest of his life.

William, was just four years old when his father was imprisoned. His mother had died in 1103 so he was placed in the custody of Helias, Count of Arques, an ally of King Henry I. 

Struggles for Normandy

As the eldest legitimate son of Robert Curthose, William Clito was viewed by many Norman and French nobles as the rightful Duke of Normandy. Throughout the 1110s and 1120s, his claim was championed by King Louis VI of France, who sought to weaken Henry I’s power. These struggles, on William’s behalf, to reclaim Normandy resulted in multiple military campaigns, with support from powerful allies, including Flanders and Anjou. However, Henry I managed to suppress these uprisings and retained control of Normandy.

 

Marriages and Alliances

In 1123, William married Sibylla of Anjou, the daughter of Fulk V of Anjou. Sybilla had previously been married to King Henry I’s only son, William Adelin who had died in the White Ship Disaster in 1120. This alliance could have been very powerful, but after an appeal by King Henry I, it ended in annulment on the grounds of consanguinity. Nevertheless, William Clito remained an important figure as he had a claim to both Normandy and the English crown. This, and William’s William’s connection to French nobility kept him at the centre of political struggles against Henry I’s rule. 

In 1127 He was married to Joanna of Montferrat, a half-sister of Queen Adelaide of France. William had no children from either marriage.

 

Count of Flanders and Untimely Death

In 1127, William was unexpectedly offered the title of Count of Flanders by King Louis of France following the death of Count Charles the Good. This combined with his second marriage to Joanna of Monterrat, half-sister to Queen Adelaide of France marked a significant rise in his status.

However, his time as Count, and his second marriage was brief. He was wounded while laying siege to Aalst. The wound festered and became gangrenous. William Clito died on 28th July 1128. 

 

 

Published Mar 8 2022 – Updated – Dec 4 2024