Angles and Saxons, Germanic peoples from northern Europe, had invaded England early in the 5th century.
King Alfred the Great had united various kingdoms in the late 9th century, and since then England had been ruled by Anglo-Saxon kings.
The Norman Conquest:
On October 14, 1066, an army of heavily armed knights under William of Normandy landed on the coast of England and soundly defeated King Harold and his foot soldiers at the Battle of Hastings.
William was crowned king of England.
Norman knights received parcels of land, which they held as fiefs, from the king.
William made all nobles swear an oath of loyalty to him as sole ruler of England.