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When King Edward 'the Confessor' died childless in 1066, matters of succession were disputed. Harold Hardrada, king of Norway, Harold 'Godwineson', Earl of Wessex, who had supposedly been promised the throne at Edward's deathbed in 1065, and William, Duke of Normandy and a distant cousin of Edward's, who insisted Harold had sworn him allegiance while visiting Normandy in 1064, were contenders for the English throne

When the 'Witan', the royal counsel, elected Harold of Wessex king, William declared betrayal and decided to invade. Since William's duchy was too small to undertake the feat alone, he recruited soldiers – drawn by England's promise of wealth - from France and Flanders. He was fortunate: hindered by winds and unable to arrive in England when he had planned, he avoided having to contend with Harold Hardrada.

In late September, Hardrada had invaded England from the north, near York. Harold Godwineson confronted him and was victorious. Two days later, the Norman army finally landed unopposed on England's south-eastern side, and waited. Harold and his exhausted army rushed south to challenge William in Battle of Hastings. On October 14th 1066, the Norman army triumphed, using combined forces of cavalry and archers to break down the English shield wall. When Harold was killed, no one was left to lead English resistance, and the Anglo-Saxons submitted to the Norman invaders.

William 'the Conqueror' was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas day 1066. After minor uprisings, he eventually came to subdue the entire country. Edward had become the last of the Anglos-Saxon kings, and the Norman Conquest would mean a cultural revolution in England.