William of Talou William of Talou William of Talou, Count of Talou (a.k.a. Arques) was a powerful member of the Norman ducal family who exerted his influence during the early reign of William the Conqueror Duke of Normandy. He was the son of duke Richard II of Normandy by Papia of Envermeu. His brother was Mauger, who became archbishop of Rouen in or shortly after 1037. Their elder half-brothers were dukes of Normandy, Richard III from 1026 to 1027, and Robert I, Duke of Normandy from 1027 to 1035; Robert I being the father of William the Conqueror. In 1035, following the death
William the Conqueror of the year on which fighting was permitted. Although the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes marked a turning point in William's control of the duchy, it was not the end of his struggle to gain the upper hand over the nobility. The period from 1047 to 1054 saw almost continuous warfare, with lesser crises continuing until 1060. William's next efforts were against Guy of Burgundy, who retreated to his castle at Brionne, which William besieged. After a long effort, the duke succeeded in exiling Guy in 1050. To address the growing power of the Count of Anjou, Geoffrey Martel, William joined with