William the Conqueror
Preserved but no longer current.
He supported the English athelings against Canute, and made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem; many legends grew up around him, and he got his name for his daring and cruelty. The Norman tradition is that his wandering ghost will not be allowed to rest till the Day of Judgment. He is also called Robert the Magnificent.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “William the Conqueror” mean?
He supported the English athelings against Canute, and made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem; many legends grew up around him, and he got his name for his daring and cruelty. The Norman tradition is that his wandering ghost will not be allowed to rest till the Day of Judgment. He is also called Robert the Magnificent.
Is “William the Conqueror” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.