Kings and Conquerors

Aims

This programme provides information on the origins of the Normans and on the events leading to the invasion of England, the Battle of Hastings and the Norman conquest of England. The motives, role and impact of William the Conqueror are examined.

The programme should enable students to:

• know where the Normans came from, and recognise Normandy and some of the other countries conquered by the Normans on maps
• understand that the Bayeux Tapestry, although a biased view of the Norman invasion, is still a valuable source of contemporary evidence on the events surrounding the Norman invasion of England
• understand the differences between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans at the Battle of Hastings in terms of armour, weapons and tactics, and how the Normans won
• describe and explain the reasons for and the results of the Norman invasion of England
• assess the significance of William the Conqueror