Page 45 - 100 Events That Made History

William fell from his horse
during battle, and then lifted
his helmet to show his troops
The battle for England Did you know? that he was still alive.
On Senlac Hill, near Hastings, Harold’s army
formed a wall of shields against the Norman
After his impressive
archers. But some of the English broke away
win at the Battle of
from their wall, perhaps to chase retreating
Hastings, William
Norman soldiers. The Normans turned
became known as
back and attacked. By the end of the Battle
“The Conqueror”.
of Hastings, Harold was dead and William of
Normandy was the NEW KING OF ENGLAND.

By the way…
The battle lasted from
about 9 am until sundown,
and halfway through,
both sides took a
break for lunch!

How it changed
the world

After his victory, William
granted most of England’s
land and many important
jobs to his Norman
allies. Anglo-Saxon
was replaced by Latin
as the language
of government.

Picture the scene
The huge BAYEUX TAPESTRY (above)
Up to 7,000 men tells the whole story of the Norman
were killed in a invasion in 72 scenes. It was worked by
day at the Battle William’s wife, Matilda, and her ladies-in-
of Hastings. waiting. The tapestry is 230 ft (70 m)

What came after… long—the length of five school buses.

William commissioned
THE DOMESDAY BOOK, a huge The Normans built
survey of all the land and massive STONE CASTLES
property in England. It and cathedrals all over
took two years to collect England, many of which
all the information. are still standing.
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