Norman Conquest of Middle Ages

Who were the Normans?

The Normans were Vikings who settled near France’s coast. They were referred to as the Norsemen from Norway by the locals. They eventually took the name Normans, and the region they inhabited was given the name Normandy. Normandy was made a Duchy of France through a ceasefire with the King of France, and its ruler was known as the Duke of Normandy.

Three Kings

Edward the Confessor, the monarch of England, passed away in 1066. Unfortunately, Edward never had any offspring, and there was no obvious candidate to succeed him as king of England. For various reasons, each of the three men asserted that he was the legitimate heir to the throne.

Norway’s King Harald Hardrada
The Scandinavian King Cnut the Great controlled England prior to King Edward. Cnut left England to Edward when he passed away. King Hardrada believed that England should once again belong to Norway and that he should be the legitimate ruler of England because Edward didn’t have any children.

England’s Earl Harold Godwinson –
Earl Harold was the brother-in-law of King Edward. Additionally, he was among the most influential persons in England. He believed he deserved to be crowned king.

William, Duke of Normandy
King Edward was a relative of William of Normandy. The throne, he added, had been offered to him by Edward.

Harold II, King

Earl Harold Godwinson was the first of the three men to take action. Following the passing of King Edward, the English nobility swiftly anointed him King Harold II since he was the obvious candidate. King Hardrada and William of Normandy, on the other hand, were not going to allow Harold succeed them without a battle.

(Battle of Stamford Bridge) Norway invades

In September 1066, King Hardrada of Norway assembled his troops and launched an invasion of England from the north. On September 25, 1066, King Harold II of England assembled his own army and faced the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge. Both sides lost approximately 5,000 men in the brutal battle. King Harold II ultimately prevailed, though. The battle resulted in King Hardrada’s death, and he beat the Norwegians.

(Hastings Battle) The Norman Invasion

Only a few days after the Battle of Stamford, William of Normandy marched his army over the English Channel, leaving Harold and the English with little time to enjoy their triumph. He established his troops in Hastings, where he also constructed a wooden castle.

To confront the Normans, King Harold marched his army southward. On October 14, 1066, the two armies collided on Senlac Hill. The conflict lasted all day. There were almost equal numbers of soldiers on each sides, although William had more cavalry and archers. King Harold was shot by an arrow, giving William’s forces the victory.

William is made king.

William kept moving in the direction of London. The English continued to rebel against his rule. They even chose Edgar to be the new king. But William would not be disallowed. He travelled to London in late December after engaging in a couple more battles that he ultimately won. On December 25, 1066, the English authorities formally recognised their defeat and anointed William as king.

Legacy

England still feels the effects of Norman rule today. Numerous English nobility fled the nation for Ireland, Scotland, and the Scandinavian nations. The Normans took the French culture with them and established numerous new laws.

William established the Domesday book, which recorded who owned what land parcels. Any information contained in the book was definitive. No appeals were submitted. William taxed the populace with the book.

William also constructed numerous cathedrals and castles all around England. These included the Rochester Cathedral, Colchester Castle, the Tower of London, and Windsor Castle.

Facts about the Norman Conquest that are Interesting

Most people recognise William of Normandy as William the Conqueror.

Some historians believe that the Viking Age came to an end with the English and Norwegian victory at Stamford Bridge.

The housecarls were King Harold II’s elite English soldiers.

Tostig Godwinson, the brother of King Harold, sided with the Norwegians and opposed him. At the Battle of Stamford Bridge, he also perished.

The Pope and a sizable portion of France had come out in favour of William the Conqueror.