Following the death of
Edward the Confessor in January 1066,
William of Normandy began preparing the invasion of England.
The invading army (Norman Conquest) landed on Sept. 27, 1066 with 600 ships, 2,500 horses and 10,000 men. Because the English army was north, fighting the Battle of Stamford Bridge, the landing was unopposed and the invading Norman force was able to move inland unimpeded and establish strong defensive positions at Pevensey.
William and the invading army then waited two weeks at their entrenchments. Some historians believe that the Battle of Stamford Bridge was part of the overall strategy of William of Normandy as he was a skilled tactician and seasoned general. Perhaps William was waiting on the outcome of the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
Harold Godwinsson, king of England, brought his army south, gathering reinforcements. Godwinsson was informed, to his dismay, that he had been excommunicated by the Pope, and William of Normandy was wearing the Pope's ring. Godwinsson felt the forces of his known world arrayed against him.
Arriving at the encampment of the Norman army, Godwinsson set up his army which was vastly outnumbered by the invading force. The actual battle was short - 2-6 hours. The outcome was a foregone conclusion. The invading Norman army suffered comparatively few casualties. The English army was annhilated.
The Battle of Hastings and Norman Conquest was the starting point for a pivotal change in English history. Prior to 1066, England was a relatively poor power base and not a major player in European events. The Norman occupation began with England, then moved to Wales and
Scotland, and later Ireland.
Following the conquest of England, William divided England's lands awarding them to Norman nobles who appointed overlords to each area. The Anglo-Saxon nobles who had not died at Hastings were deposed from their lands and made serfs. French clergy replaced Anglo-Saxon bishops and abbots. The Normans quickly erected castles around England as a defensive measure. French words became a part of the English language, and Anglo-Saxon became a peasant dialect.
Thus, what has been considered as English domination of the rest of the British Isles as well as other parts of the world, is really Norman. The practice of replacing the local ruling elite, clergy, language and customs began with the Norman conquest of the Anglo-Saxons.