In 1066, England's fate changed dramatically with the Norman invasion, also known as the Norman Conquest. Duke William of Normandy, claiming the English throne through his connection to the deceased King Edward the Confessor, challenged the newly crowned King Harold Godwinson. The climax came at the Battle of Hastings in October of that year. William's victory there, marked by Harold's death, opened the door for his coronation as king. This conquest had a profound impact on England. A new Norman elite replaced the Anglo-Saxon ruling class, French influence permeated language and culture, and land ownership underwent a major transformation.
