9. King William I's Saddle Fell Off His Horse And Mortally Wounded Him (1087)
William the Conqueror is arguably Britain's most famous monarch - his Norman invasion of 1066 led to the creation of the royal throne as it is today. However, his method of death is less well-known. As William returned to France in 1087 in order to marry off his daughter, his son Robert allied with the French King Philip I. King William I became concerned about a potential coup and so led an expedition against the French Vexin in July 1087. However, while riding out to face the French, William fell from his horse and landed on hard ground - only for the pommel from his own saddle to also become dislodged and smack him plump in the face. William was mortally wounded and died on September 9, 1087, in the priory of Saint Gervase at Rouen.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
