In the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, William defeated King Harold II of England, who had claimed the throne. This victory changed the course of English history, as William introduced Norman feudalism, replacing the Anglo-Saxon nobility with Norman lords and laying the foundation for the modern English state. The Domesday Book, commissioned by William in 1085, provided a comprehensive record of land and resources in England, solidifying his control over the country.
Plantagenet and Tudor Dynasties (12th-16th Century)
The Plantagenet dynasty ruled England from 1154 to 1485. This period saw significant events such as the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, which limited the power of the monarchy and established certain legal rights for English subjects. The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) between England and France was a defining conflict, marked by battles such as Agincourt in 1415, where King Henry V's forces achieved a famous victory.
The Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the houses of Lancaster and York, led to the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the rise of the Tudor dynasty. The Tudor era, particularly under Henry VIII (r. 1509–1547), saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England. Henry's desire for a male heir and his six marriages were central to the English Reformation, which had profound religious, political, and social consequences.
Under Henry's daughter, Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603), England experienced a golden age. Elizabeth’s reign saw the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the flourishing of English literature, with figures like William Shakespeare, and the expansion of England’s influence abroad through exploration and trade. shutdown123