Norman Conquest

American  

noun

1. the conquest of England by the Normans, under William the Conqueror, in 1066.

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Norman Conquest British  

noun

1. the invasion and settlement of England by the Normans, following the Battle of Hastings (1066)

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Norman Conquest Cultural  

1. The overthrow of the government of England in 1066 by forces of Normandy, a province of northern France, under the leadership of William the Conqueror. William proclaimed himself king of England after defeating the English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Norman rule strengthened the power of the king and the system of feudalism in England and brought a great number of French influences to the English language (see Middle English) and English institutions.

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Example Sentences

The novel is set in the 19th century, but in a version of England where the Norman Conquest of 1066 failed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2025

I should add that Jefferson greatly admired the medieval world before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 ended Anglo-Saxon rule.

From Salon • Nov. 10, 2024

After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the drink spread across Europe, with regions developing different production methods and traditions influenced by terroir, apple varieties and local customs.

From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2021

On a normal Easter Sunday, Justin Welby presides at the Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, a soaring, sublime edifice, a thousand-year-old World Heritage site, dating to the 11th century and the Norman Conquest.

From Washington Post • Apr. 12, 2020

If you thought that the departure of the Romans caused the British Isles to descend into mindless savagery that would not be reversed until the Norman Conquest in 1066, think again.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall