Welcome to this deck on Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest. We'll explore what England was like before 1066, a powerful and well-organised kingdom. Then we'll dive into the dramatic events of that year: the death of a king, a crisis with four claimants to the throne, and three major battles that would change England forever. By the end, you'll understand exactly why William of Normandy was victorious at the Battle of Hastings.

First, let's look at how Anglo-Saxon England was governed. It was a sophisticated kingdom with a strong monarchy. The king had significant power: he made laws, controlled the minting of coins, and was in charge of the army and fleet. However, he didn't rule alone. He was advised by a council of the most powerful men in the kingdom, the earls and bishops. This council was known as the Witan.

The kingdom was divided into large territories called earldoms, each ruled by a powerful earl on behalf of the king. These earldoms were further divided into shires, which are the basis for many of England's counties today. Each shire had its own court for trying cases and a fortress, known as a burh. Each shire was managed by a king's official called a Shire Reeve, who was responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing the law. This role would later evolve into the sheriff.