Besides these advantages, which William owed to his personal valor
and good conduct, he was indebted to fortune for procuring him some
assistance, and also for removing many obstacles which it was natural
for him to expect, in an undertaking in which all his neighbors were so
deeply interested. Conan, count of Brittany, was his mortal enemy:
in order to throw a damp upon the duke's enterprise, he chose this
conjuncture for reviving his claim to Normandy itself; and he required
that, in case of William's success against England, the possession of
that duchy should devolve to him.[**] But Conan died suddenly after
making this demand; and Hoel, his successor, instead of adopting the
malignity, or, more properly speaking, the prudence of his predecessor,
zealously seconded the duke's views, and sent his eldest son, Alain
Fergant, to serve under him with a body of five thousand Bretons. The
counts of Anjou and of Flanders encouraged their subjects to engage in
the expedition; and even the court of France, though it might justly
fear the aggrandizement of so dangerous a vassal, pursued not its
interests on this occasion with sufficient vigor and resolution.
Pages:
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307