Norman Conquest - Wikipedia

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 involved an invasion led by William, Duke of Normandy, who became known as William the Conqueror. The invasion followed Harold Godwinson's defeat of a Norwegian army at Stamford Bridge and was prompted by claims to the English throne. After defeating Harold at the Battle of Hastings, William consolidated his rule through military campaigns, including the "Harrying of the North," which subdued resistance in the north. He established castles, redistributed lands to his followers, and enacted changes that led to the Normanisation of England's government, language, and society. The conquest had lasting impacts on English governance, social structures, and culture, though its exact historical significance remains a subject of scholarly debate.