White Ship

British history

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July 23, 2026

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The White Ship was a British vessel that sank off the coast of Normandy on November 25, 1120. The sinking was a significant event in British history because William the Aetheling, the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I of England, drowned along with approximately 300 others.12

William's death had profound consequences for the succession of the English throne. It left Henry I without a male heir, which ultimately led to a period of civil war after his death in 1135, as rival claimants vied for power. Peace was not fully restored until Henry II ascended the throne in 1154.213

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William the Aetheling
…of November 25, 1120, the White Ship, carrying William to England, foundered as it left the port of Barfleur, with all lives lost save one. The notoriety of the wreck is due to the large number of the royal household on board, including not only the king’s son and heir…
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…of November 25, 1120, the White Ship, carrying William to England, foundered as it left the port of Barfleur, with all lives lost save one. The notoriety of the wreck is due to the large number of the royal household on board, including not only the king’s son and heir…
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Hugh of Avranches, 1st earl of Chester
…was childless, drowned in the White Ship (see William the Aetheling) in November 1120.
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…was childless, drowned in the White Ship (see William the Aetheling) in November 1120.
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