Middle Ages
Norman Conquest
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Middle Ages for Kids
Who were the Normans?
The Normans were Vikings who had settled along the coast of France. The local people called them the Norsemen from Norway. They eventually became known as the Normans and the land they lived in became known as Normandy. Through a truce with the King of France, Normandy became a Duchy of France and their leader was called the Duke of Normandy.
The Three Kings
In 1066 the King of England, Edward the Confessor, died. Unfortunately, Edward did not have any children and there wasn't a logical choice for the next king of England. Three men all claimed to be the rightful heir to the crown for different reasons.
- King Harald Hardrada of Norway - Before King Edward, England had been ruled by the Scandinavian King Cnut the Great. When Cnut died, he left England to Edward. Since Edward didn't have any children, King Hardrada thought that England should once again belong to Norway and that he should be the rightful King of England.
- Earl Harold Godwinson of England - Earl Harold was King Edward's brother-in-law. He was also one of the most powerful men in England. He felt that he should be crowned king.
- Duke William of Normandy - William of Normandy had a family relationship to King Edward. He also claimed that Edward had promised him the throne.
The first of the three men to act was Earl Harold Godwinson. He was the obvious choice for the English nobles and they crowned him King Harold II immediately after the death of King Edward. However, neither King Hardrada nor William of Normandy were going to let Harold have the crown without a fight.
Norway Invades (Battle of Stamford Bridge)
King Hardrada of Norway gathered his forces and invaded England from the north in September of 1066. The English marshaled their own army and King Harold II met the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066. The fighting was fierce with both sides losing over 5,000 soldiers. However, King Harold II came out victorious. He defeated the Norwegians and King Hardrada was killed in the battle.
The Normans Invade (Battle of Hastings)
Harold and the English had little time to celebrate their victory as William of Normandy led his army across the English Channel only a few days after the Battle of Stamford. He set up his army at the city of Hastings, where he built a wooden castle.
King Harold marched his army south to meet the Normans. The two forces met at the top of Senlac Hill on October 14, 1066. The two sides fought all day. Both sides had about the same number of soldiers, but William had the advantage of having more archers and cavalry. Eventually William's army won the battle when King Harold was killed by an arrow.
William Crowned King
William continued to march towards London. The English were still resisting his rule. They even elected another man, Edgar, as king. William would not be denied, however. He fought and won a few more battles along the way and reached London in late December. The English leaders finally admitted defeat and crowned William King of England on December 25, 1066.
Legacy
Norman rule had a lasting effect in England. Many English nobles left the country fleeing to Ireland, Scotland, and the Scandinavian countries. The Normans instituted many new laws and brought the French culture with them.
William instituted the Domesday book which kept track of who owned what areas of land. Whatever was written in the book was final. There were no appeals. William used the book in order to tax the people.
William also built many castles and cathedrals throughout England. These included Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, Colchester Castle, and the Rochester Cathedral.
Interesting Facts about the Norman Conquest
- William of Normandy is mostly known by his nickname William the Conqueror.
- The Battle of Stamford Bridge between the English and the Norwegians is considered by some historians to mark the end of the Viking Age.
- The elite English troops of King Harold II were called the housecarls.
- King Harold's brother, Tostig Godwinson, sided against him and allied with the Norwegians. He was also killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
- William the Conqueror had gathered significant support in France and had the support of the Pope.
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