William the son of a duke and a peasant spent his childhood in hiding raised among the Norman peasantry. Lords owing fealty to him would have murdered him if they had found him. He spent his early adult years fighting rebel lords for his birthright. As Duke of Normandy he claimed the throne of England after the death of Edward the Confessor King of England who William said had promised to name him heir. When England refused him he built a huge fleet sailed across the channel and killed Harold the newly crowned English king at the Battle of Hastings. One by one English towns fell to William and his Norman army as they marched toward London. Cowering in fear Londoners had no choice they opened the gates and made William the Conqueror their first Norman king.