Norman England - Castles, Conquerors, and the Domesday Book

After William the Conqueror's victory at Hastings, the Normans set about transforming England. Castles such as the Tower of London rose across the land, serving as both fortresses and symbols of dominance. The Church was reformed, with Norman bishops replacing Anglo-Saxon ones and magnificent Romanesque cathedrals reshaping the skyline. Rebellions followed, particularly in the north, but William crushed them ruthlessly, most infamously in the Harrying of the North, leaving whole regions devastated. To consolidate control, William commissioned the Domesday Book in 1085, a sweeping survey of land, wealth, and resources that gave him unprecedented oversight of his kingdom. Norman rule replaced Anglo-Saxon elites with Norman lords, introduced French as the language of the court, and embedded feudalism as the backbone of society. Yet over time, Anglo-Saxon and Norman cultures began to blend, forging a new English identity. William's reign left deep scars but also enduring foundations: centralized royal authority, ties to continental Europe, and a transformed society that would shape the nation for centuries.