Norman Conquest



According to a poster in a Coal Hill history classroom, the Norman Conquest of England was an event that took place in 1066, featuring three major players. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart)

Origins
On 5 January 1066, King of England, Edward the Confessor, died childless and with no heir to the throne. There were three main claimants.

Harold Godwinson was the Saxon leader and the Earl of Wessex. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart) Edith, who was Edward's queen (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear) was also the sister of Harold. His family was the most powerful in England.

Harald Hardrada was a Viking and the King of Norway. He believed his ancestors and King Cnut of England had made an arrangement that gave him a right to the throne. He was supported by Harold's brother, Tostig.

William of Normandy was a Norman and Duke of Normandy. He was Edward's cousin and his only blood relative of the three claimants. He also alleged that Edward had promised him the throne in 1051.

When Edward died, Harold was crowned king becoming Harold II. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart)

The Battle of Stamford Bridge
The Battle of Stamford Bridge was a major conflict in the conquest occurring on 25 September 1066 involving King Harald and Harold II.

Harald attacked with three hundred longboats carrying his army to the north of England. He defeated the Northern Earls at Gate Fulford. Harold II travelled north and launched a surprise attack, defeating the unsuspecting Viking army. However, news soon arrived that William had invaded Sussex. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart)

The Battle of Hastings
The Monk attempted to prevent the Norman victory by destroying a fleet of ships off the Northumbrian coast, but was stopped by the First Doctor. (TV: The Time Meddler)

Harold marched his army south, covering hundreds of miles to face William and up to ten thousand Norman invaders in the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. During the battle, the Normans tricked the Saxon army into the open and showered them with arrows. Harold was killed in the battle and the English were defeated. According to legend, Harold was killed by an arrow to the eye, (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart) although Rani Chandra said she had read online that this was untrue. (TV: Lost in Time)

Aftermath
On 25 December 1066, William was crowned King of England. He became known as William the Conqueror.

After the conquest, the Normans created the Bayeux Tapestry, which told their version of events. The scene featured on the poster in Coal Hill Academy showed the Normans preparing for their invasion. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart) The tapestry was later added to, showing other events from England's history. (TV: The Power of Kroll)

William later faced rebellions against his rule in England. In 1069, he launched a series of campaigns to deal with the uprisings. He ordered villages to be burnt down and people to be killed. Those who survived starved to death, as all of the animals and crops had been destroyed. (TV: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart)