Arguably the Battle of Hastings was one of those very rare moments when the future of England was reshaped by a single event, and it’s aftermath. Given the way in which England and later Britain gained a huge empire the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings was not just confined to the British Isles.
Disaster For the Anglo - Saxons
The Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings doomed Anglo-Saxon England, as not only was its last king Harold II Godwinson killed but the majority of the noble and gentry class died with him. Evan those that survived the Battle of Hastings found that the whole social, economic, and political infrastructure of England was completely overturned.
Therefore the main legacy of the Battle of Hastings was the establishment of a new Norman social and economic order that went much further than the simple or straightforward replacement of one king by another king. William the Conqueror certainly lived up to his nickname, he and his greedy not to mention ruthless Norman followers completely dismantled what was left of Anglo-Saxon England and took over everything. The Normans owned everything and they owned the English population as well.
Ruthless Normans And Their Buildings
William the Conqueror and his Norman entourage were quick to seize everything that they could, and introduce the feudal social and economic system throughout England, making the live of the poorest English even harsher and with reduced levels of freedom.
William the Conqueror quickly established the brand new Norman order in England, signified by the speedy construction of stone castles such as the Tower of London and grand cathedrals like those at Durham and York.
England - A Country Brutally Reshaped
The Normans built stone castles in the key strategic locations throughout England. William the Conqueror often demonstrated brutality towards his English subjects, especially with the ‘Harrowing of the North’. In effect the Harrowing of the North amounted to genocide.
The Normans proved to be ruthless new rulers of England who suppressed any signs of resistance whilst exploiting the English land and population for all that it was worth.
Bibliography
Aydon C, (2009) A Brief History Of Mankind – 150, 000 years of Human History, Robinson, London
Blainey G, (2004) A Very Short History of the World, Penguin, London
Sebag Montefiore S, (2009) Heroes – History’s Greatest Men and Women, Quercus, London
Anglo-Saxon England had been invaded briefly before by the Vikings, yet its whole economic, legal, political, and social infrastructure had never been completely overthrown as it was in the wake of the Battle of Hastings. The reason for the Battle of Hastings having such an impact are evaluated and examined below.
Barry Vale - I am a graduate from the University of Bradford, and I enjoy writting in my spare time. Although with a full-time office job, a wonderful ...
