Obs. Also 5–6 -our. [ME. and AF. conquestour = OF. conquesteur, ad. med.L. conquæstor, conquēstor, in same sense, for conquæsītor (like quæstor from quæsītor) = conquīsītor (itself also in same sense in Trivet).] = CONQUEROR.
As a surname, often used as equivalent to Magnus, ‘Great’: e.g., Alexander, Charles, William the Great, or Conquestor.
[a. 1491. J. Rossi, Hist. Reg. Angl. (1716), 118. Per Alexandrum Magnum et alios Conquestores.]
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxix. 176. Takyng example of Charlys the conquestour.
1549. Compl. Scot., ix. 80. Vrangus conquestours … hes be thair tyrany inuadit vthir cuntrays.
1555. Eden, Decades, 319. In the which the conquestours had hytherto neuer good successe.
1609. Skene, Reg. Mag., 57. King Robert Bruise, the great conquestor.
b. Applied to William I. of England, the Conqueror. [Chiefly in Latin.]
[1100–40. Ordericus Vital., 603 A. Guillelmus Magnus id est Conquæstor rex Anglorum.
c. 1325. Trivet, Ann. (1845), 4. Henricus primus … Willelmi, qui Conquisitor erat, filius.
c. 1450. Lydg., Verses on Kings, in Hist. Collect. (Camd. Soc. 1876), 49, heading. Wyllelmus Conquestor.
a. 1491. J. Rossi, Hist. Reg. Angl. (1716), 106. Rex Willielmus conquestor post conquestum cum obsidibus de Anglicis in Normanniam transmeavit.]
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1692), 108. In the reign of our William Conquestor.
[1843. Carlyle, Past & Present, III. xiii. (1887), 184. I have a certain indestructible regard for Willelmus Conquæstor.]
