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The Norman Conquest

Learn 1066 as a compact chain: Hastings made William king, Bayeux records the battle, Domesday records England, and Norman French changed English.

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What to be able to answer

  • Know who William defeated at Hastings in 1066.
  • Recognise Bayeux Tapestry and Domesday Book as the two records.
  • Understand why the Norman Conquest changed government, society and language.

Learn

1066 and the transformation of England

Topic 4 of 14
A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest of 1066

Norman Conquest Memory Strip

One chain: battle, record, survey, language change.

1066

Battle of Hastings

William, Duke of Normandy, defeated Harold, the Saxon king.

70m

Bayeux Tapestry

Nearly 70 metres of embroidery, still seen in France.

Book

Domesday survey

Listed towns, villages, people, land and animals in England.

Last

Successful invasion

The last successful foreign invasion of England.

Hastings made William king; Bayeux records the battle; Domesday records England; Norman French changed English.

The Norman Conquest was the last successful foreign invasion of England and led to many changes in government and social structures in England. Norman French, the language of the new ruling class, influenced the development of the English language as we know it today.

The Tower of London beside the River Thames
The Tower of London — built by William the Conqueror Credit: Bob Collowan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Initially the Normans also conquered Wales, but the Welsh gradually won territory back. The Scots and the Normans fought on the border between England and Scotland; the Normans took over some land on the border but did not invade Scotland.

Do not mix up

The Bayeux Tapestry records Hastings; the Domesday Book records land, people and animals.
The Norman Conquest was the last successful foreign invasion of England.
Magna Carta belongs to the Middle Ages topic.

Practise

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