Why did William I appoint Lanfranc as archbishop of Canterbury?

William I appointed Lanfranc as archbishop of Canterbury in 1070 primarily to bring discipline, order, and reform to the English church.1

Following the Norman Conquest, William sought to "Normanize" the upper ranks of the clergy to ensure they were under firm royal control. Lanfranc, a trusted counselor and former abbot of St. Stephen’s at Caen, was uniquely qualified for this role due to his expertise as an ecclesiastical lawyer, teacher, and church statesman.12

The two men shared a relationship of mutual respect and worked in close cooperation to reorganize the church, replace native English bishops with Normans, and maintain the independence of the English Church from excessive papal interference. Lanfranc’s administrative skill proved vital to William’s reign, as he helped navigate complex church-state relations and even uncovered a conspiracy against the King in 1075.21