Guillaume, Mathilde and their relatives (1027-1135)

This exhibition highlights an exceptional collection of charters written during the reign of William the Conqueror, preserved by the Archives of Calvados.

These major documents of Norman heritage, often shown to the public for the first time, delve into the heart of ducal and royal power in the 11th and early 12th centuries.

Thanks to various mediation devices, the exhibition offers a clear and accessible reading, engaging with today’s questions.

Presented in their production context, these charters are compared with archaeological and architectural remains, while also bringing to life the women and men who wielded power, in both secular and spiritual spheres, and who shaped the Norman territory, its identity, and its representations.

The exhibition follows William through his family and political circles: from his birth in Falaise in 1027 to the death of his last legitimate son, Henry I Beauclerc, in 1135. It highlights the role of major figures such as Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain while giving a central place to powerful women: Matilda of Flanders, Emma, Arlette, and Matilda the Empress, who founded the Plantagenet dynasty.

Rooted in the territory of Calvados, the exhibition finally offers a geographical tour through the major centers of power — Caen, Bayeux, Falaise — but also lesser-known monastic sites, such as the abbeys of Troarn or Saint-André-en-Gouffern, revealing the richness and diversity of the political and spiritual landscape of Normandy.

Practical information: 
Free
From Tuesday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. 
Exceptional openings will be planned.

Scientific partnership involving the five Norman departmental archives.