Finally, there was the matter of defending the lands across the Channel. This was far more important than Scotland or Wales, as no Norman wished to see their homeland invaded by another.
Although they were confident and did not fear the Anjou People or the King of France, they still had to consider the practical realities. Fighting across the sea was far less convenient than fighting on land. Each cross-channel campaign was enormously expensive, and they also had to keep a portion of their Knights in England to guard against rebellion.
Thus, during the time of Conqueror William, dealing with wars across the Channel required relying on a number of Mercenaries, hiring some Free Knights and Lance Soldiers from Brittany or Flanders.
This also made it crucial to maintain good relations with the Duke of Brittany and the Count of Flanders. For this reason, Conqueror William abandoned his plans to conquer Brittany.
