A section of the famous Bayeux Tapestry. October 14th marks the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. History lists battle after battle, so what's the big deal? William the Conqueror changed the face of Europe on that fateful day, moving England...the world into a new era. How did William get there? Here's Five Fast Facts: 1. Son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy and Herleva (aka Arlette), William didn't let his illegitimate birth stop him from claiming his birthright. Robert I declared William heir to the Dukedom, a mantle William took after his father's death in 1035. 2. In 1051, William visited Edward the Confessor (then King of England). Childless Edward supposedly named William his heir. A deathbed change-of-heart caused Edward to name Harold Godwinson, son of an Anglo-Saxon nobleman, England's new heir. 3. October 1066, William showed up in Sussex with 7000 men. Edward showed up with 6000. Most agree the battle was fought all day a...
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