William Longsword
- Born: Abt 900
- Marriage: Sprota of Senlis
- Died: 17 Dec 942, Picardy, France about age 42
 General Notes:
His son, William, nicknamed "Longsword", expanded his territory but was murdered in 942.
He was assassinated.
Another name for William was GUILLAUME LONGUE-ÉPÉE.
Son of Rollo and second duke of Normandy. He sought continually to expand his territories either by conquest or by exacting new lands from the French king for the price of homage. In 939 he allied himself with Hugh the Great in the revolt against King Louis IV; through the mediation of the pope, the war ended, and Louis renewed William's investiture of Normandy (940). William, however, continued his territorial ambitions, especially northward. Drawn to a conference on an island in the Somme River, he was assassinated on the orders of the count of Flanders, Arnulf I. He was married a second time, with Luitgard of Vermandois. He is entombed in the cathedral in Rouen.
Noted events in his life were:
• Acceded: Duke of Normandy, 927.
William married Sprota of Senlis, daughter of Herbert I of Vermandois and Countess Bertha de Morvois. (Sprota of Senlis was born in Brittany (Bretagne) and died before 935.)
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