William the Conqueror

1028 – 1087

William the Conqueror was the first Norman King of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087, after defeating Anglo-Saxon king Harold II at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. His invasion replaced the Anglo-Saxon ruling class with a new Norman aristocracy and rebuilt English landholding, law, and language around continental models. From 1069 to 1070 his Harrying of the North—a scorched-earth campaign to suppress northern revolts—deliberately destroyed crops, livestock, and shelter and is estimated to have killed 100,000 or more people through famine in its immediate aftermath.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM