Hastings: William Conquers England, Harold Falls
William the Conqueror's Norman forces crush the English army at Senlac Hill, killing King Harold II and ending Anglo-Saxon rule. This decisive victory shatters the existing political order, triggering a rapid fusion of French and English cultures that transforms the language, law, and aristocracy of England for centuries to come.
October 14, 1066
960 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 14
Pope Callixtus I was thrown down a well by a mob in Trastevere. He'd been pope for five years and had enemies — he'd allowed Christians who'd committed adultery…
William the Conqueror's army met King Harold's forces at Hastings on October 14th, 1066. Harold had just marched 250 miles from defeating Vikings in the north. …
Robert the Bruce routed Edward II's army at Byland, nearly capturing the English king himself as he fled through the Yorkshire countryside. The humiliating defe…
Radu cel Frumos — Radu the Handsome — issued a writ from Bucharest in 1465. It's the first official document mentioning Bucharest as a residence of a Wallachian…
October 5th was Thursday. October 15th was Friday. The ten days between didn't happen. Pope Gregory XIII's calendar reform deleted them to realign Easter with t…
Mary Queen of Scots stood trial in Fotheringhay Castle, accused of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I and take the English throne. Mary had been Elizabeth's pr…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.