William The Conqueror Research Paper

Ever since the rise of man, it has been the tendency of humans to strive for power. Despite this, not all individuals are capable of obtaining and keeping such clout. Those that do succeed, however, pay a high price for it. In the eleventh century A.D., Duke William of Normandy seized control of England from Anglo-Saxon rule. He obtained this nation following the brutally bloody Battle of Hastings. This ambitious man conquered a vast expanse of land, eventually earning the title of ‘William the Conqueror’. When the Anglo-Saxon reign came to an end, a new era of political, social, and economic developments was born in England. The Battle of Hastings and its subsequent crowning of King William I, gave Britain the makings to be one of the most

On the night of his death, January 4, 1066, the ill King passed with no designated heir, as he was childless ("The Battle of Hastings," 2004-2005). On his deathbed, Edward gave the English throne to Earl Harold of Wessex, ignoring the promise he made to Duke William many years prior ("The House of Godwinson," 2004-2005). Harold was immediately crowned king of England at the Westminster Abbey on January 6, 1066 ("The Battle of Hastings," 2004-2005). William strongly disputed this event and challenged it, assembling his men and gaining the Pope’s support (Ellis & Esler, 2009). This was due to Harold’s earlier oath, taken to support Duke William’s claim to the throne. When shipwrecked on the coast of Normandy, he had become a guest of William several years earlier. Before letting Harold leave, the duke made him swear to support his claim after Edward’s death. Harold finally gave in and swore on holy relics to do so, a major reason for the Pope’s support of William’s protest ("The Battle of Hastings," 2004-2005). In September 1066, Duke William sailed across the English Channel from Normandy to England, and on the twenty-eighth, landed at Britain’s east coast with thousands of troops and cavalry (Ellis & Esler, 2009)(History.com Staff, 2009). He marched to Hastings, and, driven by vengeance and thirst for power, defeated the last Anglo-Saxon

“The battle that changed history,” as the Battle of Hastings is known as, despite lasting a mere 10 hours, ushered in changes in people, their culture, and the way England was seen by foreigners (Ericson, 1998). England launched itself out into the world, gaining respect as well as power (Lacey & Murray, 2013). An example of England’s new and distinct culture was the prominence of castles. Normans imported this style of architecture from their home, which marked their dominance in their new residence. In addition, the advent of castles had two important uses: it housed Norman aristocracy and created an establishment from which they could enforce their rule ("1066: The Impact and Legacy of the Norman Invasion of England," 2010). To further contribute to this variation in landscape, the Normans also rebuilt English churches and cathedrals. Notable ones include the cathedrals of Ely and Durham and the White Tower in London ("1066: The Impact and Legacy of the Norman Invasion of England," 2010). The prominence of the English language deteriorated in Norman England, as French and Latin became the contemporary media of communication. The government, church, and nobility reverted to these languages, leaving the English language to be correlated with uncultured, illiterate gentry. As well as the revolutionary social alterations that the Norman conquest of England brought,