Norman Conquest

Normandy was a region in the  northern part of France, just across the English channel. It was ruled by Duke William who also though he had a right to the throne of England . He had been assembling an army to invade England.

Unlike the English army, which mainly consisted of farmers , the army of Duke William of Normandy  had a large number of trained warriors or mercenaries who fought with him for a share of the spoils of war. As the battle of Stamford Bridge took place, Duke William and his army crossed the English channel and landed in England.

King Harald of Norway (commonly known as Harald Hardrada) was one of the many claimants to the throne of England.  He believed he had a right to the throne of England based on a treaty between the King of Norway and one of earlier Kings of England.

In early September 1066, Harald invaded northern England with a fleet of 300 ships and about 15000 men. He was assisted by the estranged and exiled brother of Harold Godwinson, Tostig Godwinson. Initially the Norwegian invaders were successful and were able to capture the city of York.

The army of Harold Godwinson was rushed to the north of the country to battle the invaders. A fierce battle took place at Stamford Bridge on 16th September 1066, and the Norwegian invaders suffered a crushing defeat. King Harald of Norway was killed in the battle.  Out of the 300 ships that had reached England, only 24 could return with the injured warriors.

Though the English army was victorious in the battle of Stamford Bridge, it also suffered losses. It was in a battered and weakened state which adversely affected its capacity to repel the Norman  invasion of England.

The Norman conquest of England took place in 1066. At the beginner of 1066, the Anglo Saxon ruler of England, Edward the Confessor was on his deathbed.  Since he had no children, there was no direct heir to the throne and he had not publicly designated any heir to succeed him.

After Edward the Confessor died on January 5th,1066, he was succeeded by Harold Godwinson, whose sister was married to Edward the Confessor. He claimed that Edward the Confessor had annoited him the successor on his deathbed in the presence of the queen. Since Harold Godwinson was a powerful lord in the country, he soon received the approval of the Witan, the decision making body who could decide who would be king.

This was resented by William of Normandy (a region in Northern France today). He was distantly related to Edward the Confessor and claimed that Edward the Confessor had promised him the throne  of England on his death.

The conquest of England by William of Normandy is one of the milestones in the history of country.