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The Norman Conquest of England began in 1066 following the death of Edward the Confessor (reign 1042–1066), who left no direct heir, triggering a succession crisis. Among several claimants was William, Duke of Normandy, who asserted that Edward had promised him the throne. In an era when dynastic legitimacy was enforced as much by force as by lineage, William assembled an invasion army and crossed the Channel, transforming a disputed succession into a decisive military confrontation that would reshape England’s political trajectory.
William’s campaign culminated in the Battle of Hastings (14 October 1066), where King Harold II (reign January - October 1066) was defeated and killed. Crowned King of England later that year, William I (reign 1066-1087) spent the following years suppressing resistance and consolidating power, notably through castle-building and the redistribution of land to Norman elites. The conquest dismantled the Anglo-Saxon ruling class, ended lingering Scandinavian influence, and integrated England more firmly into the political and cultural sphere of Western Europe. The introduction of Norman French language, feudal institutions, and centralized governance fundamentally altered English society, while the new Anglo-Norman realm laid the foundations for enduring Anglo-French rivalry, shaping European politics from the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453) to the modern era.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2019, January 17). Map of the Norman Conquest of Britain, 1066 - 1086: From Hastings to Domesday – The Making of Norman England. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9862/map-of-the-norman-conquest-of-britain-1066---1086/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Norman Conquest of Britain, 1066 - 1086: From Hastings to Domesday – The Making of Norman England." World History Encyclopedia, January 17, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9862/map-of-the-norman-conquest-of-britain-1066---1086/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Norman Conquest of Britain, 1066 - 1086: From Hastings to Domesday – The Making of Norman England." World History Encyclopedia, 17 Jan 2019, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9862/map-of-the-norman-conquest-of-britain-1066---1086/.
