Final answer:
William the Conqueror's claim to the English throne was based on a contested pledge of fealty from Harold Godwinson and his familial relationship to Edward the Confessor. The feudal pledge and dynastic traditions supported his assertion to the throne, which was amplified by the broader political context of the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
William the Conqueror's Claim to the English Throne
William the Conqueror believed he had a claim to the English throne based on his relationship to the previous English King, Edward the Confessor, and an alleged feudal pledge of fealty from Harold Godwinson. The feudal pledge of fealty is depicted in historical accounts, suggesting that Harold, a powerful Anglo-Saxon noble who later became king, had pledged his allegiance to William of Normandy, which served as justification for William's claim and subsequent invasion when Harold ascended to the throne. This contested pledge and William's family ties to the English monarchy provided the basis for his belief that he had a rightful claim.
In addition, the political dynamics involving England and France at the time, and the desire to protect realms from the expanding power under Louis XIV, added layers to these assertions of kingship. William the Conqueror's distant kinship to Edward as his great-nephew and the dynastic tradition that allowed for such a connection to predicate a claim to the throne were also important considerations, as claims to thrones often involved complex webs of family ties and feudal loyalties.