Castles
The Norman Conquest
Although there had been some alliances between the Normans and the
English against their mutual enemies the Vikings, in 1066 the Normans
under William the Conqueror invaded England and the Battle of Hastings
took place, where Harold II, the English King, was defeated.
The Normans established themselves quickly in England by building the
timber version of castles mentioned above, as these had the benefit
of being constructed very quickly. With sufficient labor, a timber castle
of limited size could be constructed within a few days and a larger
castle in a few weeks. The timber required for these castles was also
readily available in southern England.
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Castles were a principal feature of medieval warfare and society,
as well as featuring in many historical legends and myths which emanated
from England and Europe generally. Take a look at this section to learn
the outline of how and why the idea of the castle originated and evolved.
