Editing William the Conqueror (section)

=== March on London ===

William may have hoped the English would surrender following his victory, but they did not. Instead, some of the English clergy and magnates nominated Edgar the Ætheling as king, though their support for Edgar was only lukewarm. After waiting a short while, William secured [[Dover]], parts of Kent, and [[Canterbury]], while also sending a force to capture [[Winchester]], where the royal treasury was.<ref name=Huscroft132/> These captures secured William's rear areas and his line of retreat to Normandy, if that was needed.<ref name=DNB/> William then marched to [[Southwark]], across the [[Thames]] from London, which he reached in late November. Next, he led his forces around the south and west of London, burning along the way. He finally crossed the Thames at [[Wallingford, Oxfordshire|Wallingford]] in early December. Stigand submitted to William there, and when the duke moved on to [[Berkhamsted]] soon afterwards, Edgar the Ætheling, Morcar, Edwin, and Ealdred also submitted. William then sent forces into London to construct a castle; [[Coronation of William the Conqueror|he was crowned at Westminster Abbey]] on Christmas Day 1066.<ref name=Huscroft132>Huscroft ''Norman Conquest'' pp. 131–133</ref>