William the Conqueror probably secured earlier. Papal sanction of the marriage appears to have required the founding of two monasteries in Caen – one by William and one by Matilda. The marriage was important in bolstering William's status, as Flanders was one of the more powerful French territories, with ties to the French royal house and to the German emperors. Contemporary writers considered the marriage, which produced four sons and five or six daughters, to be a success. No authentic portrait of William has been found; the contemporary depictions of him on the Bayeux Tapestry and on his seals and coins are conventional
Cultural depictions of William the Conqueror "Hereward the Wake", Alan Dobie in the two-part 1966 BBC TV play "Conquest" (part of the series "Theatre 625"), and Michael Gambon in the 1990 TV drama "Blood Royal: William the Conqueror". Films about William's life include the 1982 french/romanian production ""William the Conquerer"" (aka "Guillaume le Conquérant" or "Wilhelm Cuceritorul"), directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu and Gilles Grangier.; and the 2015 french production "Guillaume, la jeunesse du conquérant" (aka "William the Conquerer"), focusing on William's early life. He has also been portrayed by David Lodge in a 1975 episode of the TV comedy series "Carry On Laughing" entitled "One in