William's life revolved around the ancient cathedral cities of Winchester and York. He was brought up at Winchester, he was consecrated archbishop there, and it was to Winchester that he retreated for a number of years towards the end of his life. As a young man he moved to York, where he held the post of treasurer of the Minster for many years until he became arch-bishop, and it was to York that he ultimately returned to vindication and to death. Buried within the walls of the Minster, he was raised in due course to the ranks of the saints, and came to bear the name of his adopted city as St William of York. The move from Winchester to York was engineered by his father, who secured for him his initial appointment, and his family connections continued to affect the progress of his career almost until the end. It is therefore appropriate to begin in the traditional manner with some account of his family and background.

Family background

William was the son of Herbert the Chamberlain and his wife, Emma. There has been no scholarly unanimity about their antecedents, but both Herbert and Emma, it appears, were illegitimate offspring of leading French comital families (Genealogical Table 1). Herbert's father was probably Count Herbert II of Maine, the last of the ruling counts of Maine. The son of Count Hugh II (†1051) and grandson of Herbert Wake-Dog (†1036), Herbert II succeeded to the title as a boy. In 1061, following his mother's advice, he came to an arrangement with Duke William of Normandy whereby, in the event of his dying without an heir, the county of Maine would pass to the Norman dukes. Shortly afterwards, Count Herbert conveniently died without having married. Herbert the Chamberlain is believed to have been a young illegitimate son of his, who would have fallen into the hands of Duke William along with the county of Maine. Brought up apparently under William's tutelage, he made a career for himself in the royal administration in England, rising to become a senior treasury official and intimate advisor of Henry I. William fitzHerbert owed his appointment to York to his father's influence at court.