Crowns, Power and Survival

In 1066 England faces a succession crisis after King Edward's death; three claimants—including Harold Godwinson and William, Duke of Normandy—vie for the throne.The episode follows Harold's rapid marches, the Battle of Hastings, and William's victory and coronation, then describes Norman rule: dispossession of English nobles, castle-building, the Domesday Book, and cultural change.It explains how conquest replaced peaceful succession and set a precedent for rule by force, shaping the future of the English monarchy.

Long before there was a United Kingdom, the land we now call Britain was a patchwork of tribes, kingdoms and invaders. Exploring this period, until the Reign of William I.