Today in History - 25th December


Today in History - 25th December

25th December 1066 - William the Conqueror crowned King of England

959 years ago today, on 25 December 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, just weeks after his victory over Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. The ceremony marked the formal beginning of Norman rule in England.

The coronation was tense and chaotic, reflecting the unsettled state of the country. When the congregation inside the abbey shouted their acclamation of William as king, Norman guards outside, misunderstanding the noise as a riot, set fire to nearby buildings, causing panic among the crowd.

William’s coronation followed a rapid campaign to secure control over England, but resistance to Norman rule continued for several years. He was forced to suppress uprisings across the country, most brutally during the Harrying of the North, which devastated large areas of northern England.

Despite the violence of the conquest, William’s reign reshaped England’s political, social, and cultural landscape. Norman rule introduced a new ruling elite, transformed the English language and legal system, and firmly tied England to continental European politics for generations to come.

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