A new era began with the Norman Conquest. William and his descendants introduced the feudal system and strengthened the rule of the King and the Church. During this period England conquered Ireland, Scotland an Wales, and held a lot of land in France. The most dramatic events in these years were:

1066: The Battle of Hastings.
1095: The first of the nine Crusades to the Holy Land. The final one was in 1271.
1170: The murder of Archbishop Thomas à Becket in Canterbury Cathedral as a result of a quarrel between the King and the Church.
1215: The Magna Carta: the English nobles forced King John to sign a document that limited his power and extended the rights of his subjects.
1337: Start of the Hundred Years War with France.
1348: Start of the terrible plague known as the Black Death.
1455: Start of the War of the Roses, a struggle for the throne of England between the House of York (white rose) and the House of Lancaster (red rose). It ended in 1485 when Henry Tudor became King Henry VII.

A Royal Castle
Windsor Castle was built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Since then it has been much altered and enlarged, but it has always been the main royal residence. It is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest royal residence still in use.



A Heroic Outlaw
Perhaps the most famous British legend is the story of Robin Hood and his merry men. According to the legend, Robin Hood lived during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart at the end of the 12th century. Richard spent the most of his reign fighting abroad, in his lands in France and on the Crusades. While the King was away, England was ruled by his brother, John. Robin Hood was originally a nobleman and a supporter of Richard. But while the King was away John took Robin's lands and made him an outlaw. So Robin Hood went to live in Sherwood Forest where he collected his band of followers: Friar Tuck, Little John, Maid Marian, Will Scarlet, Alan à Dale, and the rest. He fought against John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. He robbed only those people who were rich and gave most of the money to the poor.



(EF Information Sheet)