1066

1066 was a year in the Julian calendar notable for the Norman conquest of England following the death of Edward the Confessor. The king's death on January 5, 1066, left a disputed succession. Harold Godwinson, an Anglo-Saxon noble, was elected and crowned king at Westminster on January 6. His claim faced challengers from Normandy and Norway, notably William, Duke of Normandy, and Harald Hardrada of Norway, whose forces allied with Harold’s.

In September 1066, Harold defeated Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, killing Hardrada and ending the Norwegian threat. A few weeks later, William landed an invasion on the southern coast of England. The ensuing Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066 ended with Harold slain and William's victory, leading to William's coronation as king on December 25, 1066, at Westminster Abbey.

The Norman conquest radically reshaped England. Anglo-Saxon aristocracy was displaced by Norman nobles, and a feudal system was introduced. The new rulers built castles to project power and reorganized landholding patterns. The conquest also accelerated cultural and linguistic change, with Norman French influence shaping administration and law. The Domesday Book, completed in 1086, records the transformed landscape. The Bayeux Tapestry, probably produced in the 1070s, offers a contemporary visual narrative of these events.

1066 is widely regarded as a turning point in English history, marking the start of substantial Norman influence on language, governance, and society, which persisted for centuries.