2. The Norman Conquest
of England
(beginning Sept. 28, 1066) William, the Duke of
Normandy, invaded England in the autumn of 1066,
beginning a campaign of conquest leading to his crowning
as the King of England and the establishment of Norman
rule over England.
When Edward the Confessor died in 1066, he left a
disputed succession. The throne was seized by his leading
aristocrat, Harold Godwinson, who was rapidly crowned.
Almost immediately, Harold faced two invasions - one
from the king of Norway, Harald Hardrada, who was
supported by Harold Godwinson's brother Tostig, and the
other from William, Duke of Normandy.
3. The Norman Conquest
of England
Harold defeated the Norwegian invasion at the Battle of Stamford
Bridge in September 1066, but he was defeated and killed shortly
afterwards at the Battle of Hastings, on October 14 in the same year.
The victorious William, now known as 'the Conqueror', brought a new
aristocracy to England from Normandy and some other areas of
France. He also strengthened aristocratic lordship and moved towards
reform of the church.
The Norman conquest was a pivotal event in English history. It largely
removed the native ruling class, replacing it with a foreign, French-
speaking monarchy, aristocracy, and clerical hierarchy. This, in
turn, brought about a transformation of the English language and the
culture of England in a new era often referred to as Norman England.
4. The Norman Conquest of
England
By bringing England under the control of rulers originating in
France, the Norman conquest linked the country more closely
with continental Europe, and also set the stage for a rivalry
with France that would continue for many centuries. It also had
important consequences for the rest of the British Isles, paving
the way for further Norman conquests in Wales and
Ireland, and the extensive penetration of the aristocracy of
Scotland by Norman and other French-speaking families, with
the accompanying spread of continental institutions and
cultural influences.
5. The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on October 14, 1066 during the
Norman Conquest of England between the Norman-French
army under Duke William II of Normandy and the English
army under King Harold II. It took place at Senlac Hill,
approximately 6 miles northwest of Hastings, close to the
present-day town of Battle, East Sussex, and was a Norman
victory.
6. The Battle of Hastings
With quick military action, William squashed any thought
of the throne going to Harold on October 14th, 1066. He
landed his 7000 troops and began his southern advance
on the beach of Pevensey. William's army set up and
battled fiercely the next day until Harold and the Saxon
army were eventually cut down by Norman swords. In
one systematic act, taking less than 10 hours time and
rendering any Saxon retaliation virtually
impossible, south and southeastern England were shortly
torched and destroyed at William's command. The Saxon
society did not gain a favorable first impression of
William, and their struggles with his leadership
continued on for 21 years. Nonetheless, by Christmas day
1066 in Westminster, England, William was crowned
King of England.
7. The Battle of Hastings
Harold II was killed in the battle—legend has it that
he was shot through the eye with an arrow. He was
the last English king to die in battle on English soil
until Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth
Field. The battle marked the last successful foreign
invasion of the British Isles. Although there was
further English resistance, this battle is seen as the
point at which William gained control of England,
becoming its first Norman ruler as King William I.
8. Aftermath of the Battle
of Hastings
A significant change coming as a result of the
battle was the new language and culture that
was adopted, replacing the previous Anglo-
Saxon customs of 300 years. This new rule under
William threw out the Anglo Saxon culture and
brought a French dialect instead.
Another significant result of the battle of Hastings was the
introduction of the feudal system to England. William
had earlier developed a centralized feudal state in
Normandy. In this system, the king would usually offer
to his warriors a plot of land called a fief, in exchange for
their loyalty.
