• Reveals how dramatically the Norman Conquest changed English life, from its society to its language and law
• Explains how historians have pieced together the events of 1066, and the motives of the key figures involved
• Explores how much of what we understand about the Norman Conquest was coloured by the interpretations and values of Victorian historians

The Norman Conquest in 1066 was the last time England was successfully invaded, and was one of the most profound turning points in English history, cataclysmically transforming a disparate collection of small nations into a European state. But what actually happened? How was the invasion viewed by those who witnessed it? And how has its legacy been seen by generations since? This fascinating Very Short Introduction reveals how dramatically English life was changed, from its language to its law, and focuses on the differing ways the conquest has been viewed by historians and in folklore ever since.