Between 1066 and 1071, the Normans under William the Conqueror conquered England, a conquest that lasted five years and involved hard battles, the construction of castles, the redistribution of land, and scorched earth tactics. This conquest led to the replacement of the Anglo-Saxons by the Norman elite and the takeover of the country's lands, the reorganization of churches, the introduction of motte and bailey castles and Romanesque cathedrals in new architectural forms, feudalism becoming more common, the absorption of thousands of new French words into English, and many other lasting changes, all of which made the Norman invasion an important watershed in British history.
The process of conquest began at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when King Harold Goldwinson was killed. William had to more or less defend his borders with Wales and Scotland, repelling two invasions from Ireland by Harold's sons, and suppressing three rebellions at York. Finally, in 1071, William ended the conquest by defeating Anglo-Saxon rebels at Ely Abbey in East Anglia.
Nevertheless, the consequences of conquest are varied, with some effects lasting longer than others. Historians summarize some of the most important changes that most believe the Norman conquest brought to England, including the almost complete replacement of the Anglo-Saxon landlord elite by the Normans, the greater centralization of ruling institutions, and the fact that power and wealth were in fewer hands, the replacement of most Anglo-Saxon bishops by Norman bishops, the relocation of the headquarters of many dioceses to city centers, the reshaping of the war landscape in England by the introduction of Normanburg and Fort Bailey, the development of feudalism, and the further development and spread of the manorial system.
After the invasion of William in 1069-70 AD, northern England was destroyed for a long time. However, the Book of the Last Judgment is a detailed and systematic catalogue of England's lands and wealth, compiled between 1086 and 1087 AD. This suggests that the British conducted a large-scale land and wealth survey after William's conquest. In addition, the links between the UK and continental Europe, especially trade, have increased considerably. This has to do with the fact that the two countries of France and England were historically intertwined, initially due to the intersection of land ownership, i.e. the Norman aristocracy owned land in both countries. The syntax and vocabulary of Anglo-Saxon Germanic languages were significantly influenced by French.
It is worth noting that the Norman conquest of England was not an invasion of the land of one population of another, but a struggle for power by one ruling elite against another. Although there was no large-scale population movement among the Norman peasants, many Anglo-Saxon warriors fled to Scandinavia after Hastings, and some even ended up joining the elite Varyag guard of the Byzantine emperors. However, for the Anglo-Saxon nobility, there was no consolation in the absence of an influx of thousands of Normans. Twenty years after Hastings, there were only two powerful Anglo-Saxon landlords in England, while about 200 Norman nobles and 100 bishops and monasteries acquired land, which were allocated to 4,000 Anglo-Saxon landlords by 1066 AD.
To ensure that the Norman nobility did not abuse their power (and thus threaten William himself), many ancient Anglo-Saxon instruments of rule were preserved, especially the sheriffs who administered the traditionally divided regions or counties of England in the name of the king. Although the county chiefs were also replaced by the Normans, they provided a balance for the Norman landlords in their jurisdiction. Similarly, with the appointment of the Norman bishops, the church was reorganized – including in 1070 A.D., the Archbishops of Canterbury (Langfranc) and York (Thomas) – so that by 1087 AD there were only two Anglo-Saxon bishops left.
Another important change was the relocation of the headquarters of many parishes – the main church or cathedral – to the city (Dorchester to Lincoln, Litchfield to Chester, and Sherbourney to Salisbury to name a few). This move gave William greater administrative and military control over the church throughout England, but also benefited the church itself, as the bishops were closer to the relatively new urban population.
In addition to the construction of castles and churches, the Normans brought many other innovations and influences, some of which can still be seen in the politics, law and culture of modern Britain.
The Normans brought many important legal and political reforms. The most famous is the Magna Carta, a document signed in 1215 declaring that the king could not levy taxes arbitrarily and that he had to listen to the advice and consent of the nobility. This was an important milestone in the British constitutional system and the first constitution in the world.
The Normans also changed the English language. After the Norman invasion, English began to be influenced by French, Latin, and other European languages. This led to the rise of English, a language that mixed elements from many different languages. In fact, many modern English words, especially legal and political vocabulary, are derived from French.
The Normans also brought with them many cultural influences. This includes architecture, ethics, poetry, and art. The Norman architectural style had a profound influence in England, especially in the construction of churches and castles. The Normans also brought many ancient traditions and stories to England, which became one of the most popular themes in English literature.
Although the Norman invasion of Britain was a violent and bloody historical event, their cultural impact remained widespread and long-lasting.
After the conquest, there was no obvious angry nationalism in Britain, because it was a more modern concept. The peasants did not take their country for granted and did not develop hatred for the Normans, because the British were united with all of William's allies, even if they included the Bretons and Anjou. In the Middle Ages, visitors from distant towns were also considered "foreigners", as were people from other countries. The peasants would only be loyal to their communities and lords, although this could lead to some resentment. This happens when a Norman nobleman replaces an Anglo-Saxon lord, although the Anglo-Saxon lord is not loved. The Normans looked like outsiders, a feeling that was only reinforced by the language barrier, while the king was committed to ensuring loyalty by imposing severe punishments on dissidents. For example, if someone kills a Norman, the nearest village will be burned, but such a policy is almost impossible to win any goodwill.
At the same time, new laws guaranteed that the Normans would not abuse their power. For example, in the new Murder Act, non-insurgents or murderers who kill others for personal gain will be found guilty, and a fight trial is introduced to defend one's innocence. Essentially, citizens were required to swear allegiance to the king and receive legal protection in return to prevent them from being wronged. Some new laws will be in place for a long time, such as giving preference to the eldest son when inheriting, while others are very unpopular, such as William's withdrawal of hunting rights in certain areas, especially the New Forest. Once caught, poachers are dealt with harshly and may even be maimed or blinded. The new law on slavery was also an important change, and by 1130 slavery had largely disappeared from England and Normandy.
Perhaps the north of England is the only place with hatred for all Normans. After the rebellion against William's rule in 1067 and 1068, in the winter of 1069–1070, the king "harassed" the entire northern part of England, hunting down rebels, committing crimes and dismembering them among peasants, burning crops, livestock and agricultural equipment, eventually leading to a devastating famine. According to the Book of the Last Judgment, much of the land in northern England was destroyed and considered worthless. It took more than a century for the area to recover.
The Last Judgment is an investigative report that originated in the 11th century when William reshaped land ownership after his conquest of England. Through the report, William treated the English lands as his personal property and gave them to the nobility in return for serving the country when needed. The development of this feudal system made the manor system more common, and the manor system got its name from the "manor", the smallest piece of land that could support a family. Each estate had free and/or unfree laborers working on the land, while workers made ends meet by cultivating a small piece of land lent to them by the landlord. This manorial system developed from the early Anglo-Saxon form, and during William's reign it became more common. In addition, there are many interesting data in the report, such as 90% of the population of England living in the countryside and 75% of the people were serfs (unfree laborers).
After William conquered England in 1066, the history and culture of France and England became intertwined. Although William became King of England, he was still considered a Duke of Normandy in France and must pay tribute to the King of France. With the civil war that broke out between William's two sons and rivals to the English throne from 1135, the royal family became even closer.
One side effect of this close contact was a significant change in Anglo-Saxon Germanic languages, whose grammar and vocabulary were influenced by French. This change occurred even among illiterate peasants, proving that French was widely spoken everywhere.
Trade between England and Scandinavia was limited before the conquest, but trade between England and continental Europe increased significantly as the region declined from the 11th century AD onwards and the Normans had extensive connections throughout Europe. For example, many French merchants emigrated to places such as London, Southampton and Nottingham, and the movement also included other groups such as Jewish merchants from Rouen. Large quantities of English wool were exported to Flanders, while wine was imported from France.
Thus, the Norman conquest of England brought lasting and significant changes to both the conquered and the conqueror. As England became a more powerful and united kingdom in the following centuries and an influential player in European politics and wars thereafter, the fates of the two nations, England and France, would inevitably be linked. Even today, names of people and places throughout England are reminiscent of the lasting influence of the Normans from 1066 AD.