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The Medieval period in Great Britain (1066-1485)

-    1066 - it's the most famous datę in English history. On the 14^th of October 1066 an invading army form Normandy (a part of northern France on English Channel) defeated the English atthe battle of Hastings. The battle was close and extremely bloody. At the end of it , most of best warriors in England were dead, including their leader, King Harold. On Christmas Day, Duke William of Normandy, was crowned King of England. He is known in popular history as 'William the Conqueror'. The datę is remembered for being the last time that England was successfully invaded.

-    The successful Norman invasion of England brought Britain into the mainstream of western culture. Previously most links had been with Scandinavia.

-    Unlike the Germanie invasions, the Norman invasion was small-scale. There was not such a thing as a Norman village or a Norman area of settlement. Instead, the Norman soldiers who had been the part of the invading army were given the ownership of land

-    and of the people living on it.

A strict feudal system was imposed.

-    The peasants were the English-speaking Saxons. The lords and the barons were the French -speaking Normans, this was the beginning of the English class system.