Editing William the Conqueror (section)

=== Appearance and character ===
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 representations designed to assert his authority.<ref name=Bates115>Bates ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 115–116</ref> There are some written descriptions of a burly and robust appearance, with a guttural voice. He enjoyed excellent health until old age, although he became quite fat in later life.<ref name=Douglas368>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 368–369</ref> He was strong enough to draw bows that others were unable to pull and had great stamina.<ref name=Bates115/> Geoffrey Martel described him as without equal as a fighter and horseman.<ref name=Searle203>Searle ''Predatory Kinship'' p. 203</ref> Examination of William's [[femur]], the only bone to survive when the rest of his remains were destroyed, showed he was approximately {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m}} tall.<ref name=Bates115/>

There are records of two tutors for William during the late 1030s and early 1040s, but the extent of his literary education is unclear. He was not known as a patron of authors, and there is little evidence that he sponsored scholarships or intellectual activities.<ref name=DNB/> Orderic Vitalis records that William tried to learn to read [[Old English]] late in life, but he was unable to devote sufficient time to the effort and quickly gave up.<ref name=Huscroft323>Huscroft ''Norman Conquest'' p. 323</ref> William's main hobby appears to have been hunting. His marriage to Matilda appears to have been quite affectionate, and there are no signs that he was unfaithful to her&nbsp;– unusual in a medieval monarch. Medieval writers criticised William for his greed and cruelty, but his personal piety was universally praised by contemporaries.<ref name=DNB/>