William, the duke of Normandy: 1048 to 1060

This turns out to be a bad choice. Remember all those polite, unfriendly Englishmen at court? These are the men that provide the king's army. They have absolutely no interest in Norman concerns. Unfortunately for you, Edward does not appreciate that fact either: he thinks that because he is their king, that they will provide him with an army to benefit your cause. But all that he has at his personal disposal are his housecarles (maybe a thousand strong) and the contingents of a few royal thegns.

By the time that you realize that there will be no forces from England to fight for you, king Henry has joined with your uncle William at Arques, and has effectively taken control of the entire duchy. You have no home to return to now; to attempt it would be suicidal.

For years, you reside at the English court, an unwanted pensioner of your royal cousin, who has no children, and whose desire to make you his heir is impossible to fulfil: the English will have no foreigners to be their kings. And all your attempts to regain the favor of your former Norman subjects are countered by king Henry's control over the succession of Norman dukes. His son Philip will outlive you; your name remains an obscure footnote in history.