On October 14, 1066, William’s forces met Harold’s army at the Battle of Hastings. The battle was a brutal clash between William’s well-organized Norman cavalry and archers and Harold’s shield-wall of seasoned Anglo-Saxon warriors. After a day of fierce combat, Harold was killed—according to tradition, struck in the eye by an arrow—and

William I of England, better known as William the Conqueror, was one of the most transformative monarchs in English history. His reign marked the end of Anglo-Saxon rule and the beginning of Norman dominance, forever altering the cultural, political, and linguistic fabric of England. William ruled from 1066 until his death in 1087, but his legacy w

Though not among the absolute longest reigns, Edward the Confessor’s 24-year rule was significant in the lead-up to the Norman Conquest. A pious and mild king, he oversaw a relatively peaceful period, during which Westminster Abbey was founded. His death without a clear heir led to the succession crisis and the Norman invasion under William the C

Edward III’s reign was one of England’s most celebrated medieval periods. He restored royal authority after the weak reign of his father, Edward II, and initiated the Hundred Years’ War against France, asserting England’s claim to the French throne. His victories at Crécy and Poitiers cemented England’s military reputation, and he founde