What made the Norman Conquest of England such an important turning point in history?
The Norman Conquest of England changed the world in many ways. The majority of the English cathedrals built after the conquest used techniques originating from Normandy. For example, during the Conquest, the use of a technique called "thick wall" was brought over from Normandy and made a new feature of churches in England. Although only about 20,000 Normans and other Frenchmen came to England as a result of the Norman Conquest, it helped to spread the Norman culture throughout England.
The conquest also had numerous effects on English law, government, and society. Before the Norman Conquest, England "lacked the trappings of full Frankish-style feudalism" (donaldstark.co.uk). After England was conquered by the Normans, it became a very strong feudalist country, a system that catered for national defense At the Battle of Hastings, traditional Anglo-Danish fighting technique, or infantry attacking with axes from behind a shield-wall, had been shown to be obsolete. Horsed Norman knights were more mobile/sophisticated than their English rivals, and tactically superior. Thus, William the Conqueror wished to call up the Norman way of horsed knights rather than fyrd-men. Although, unfortunately, the English were not used to fighting on horses at all. Clearly, a new system was needed for this. According to Orderic Vitalis, William acted "so that the kingdom of England should always have 60,000 knights at the ready and produce them immediately at the king's command as necessity required" (Origins of English Feudalism).
The conquest also created a still-existing link between the island of Great Britain (which includes Wales, England, and Scotland) and the continent of Europe through the connection of England and French Normandy. You can see these connections in English culture, language, history, and economics. The Norman Conquest introduced the language of French to England, along with shifting the power in England over to the Normans. Until then, the citizens of it spoke only Old English and Latin. And while the Normans brought the language of French, the vocabulary of Norse and Germainic languages began to fade out.
The government was effected in many ways when the Normans adopted and modified the Anglo-Saxon's way of government. When the sophisticated way of government was handed over to the Normans, the helped it grow even stronger. They strengthened and centralized this "autonomous shire system". William the Conqueror's archbishop during the Norman Conquest was Lanfranc. Lanfranc helped to reform the English church and have good church-state relationship by establishing Roman components and the Canon Law to England. Some other effects were that before the conquest, the "shire reeve" (country agent, or sheriff) was not very important. after the conquest, the sheriff was the highest-ranking civil official in each country. Also, some new words were introduced into the English language by the Normans. For example, before the conquest, there was only one word for the meat of pigs, sheep, and oxen. After the Norman conquest, the French brought over their words for these meats, including porc (pig), mouton (sheep), and boeuf (ox).
The conquest also had numerous effects on English law, government, and society. Before the Norman Conquest, England "lacked the trappings of full Frankish-style feudalism" (donaldstark.co.uk). After England was conquered by the Normans, it became a very strong feudalist country, a system that catered for national defense At the Battle of Hastings, traditional Anglo-Danish fighting technique, or infantry attacking with axes from behind a shield-wall, had been shown to be obsolete. Horsed Norman knights were more mobile/sophisticated than their English rivals, and tactically superior. Thus, William the Conqueror wished to call up the Norman way of horsed knights rather than fyrd-men. Although, unfortunately, the English were not used to fighting on horses at all. Clearly, a new system was needed for this. According to Orderic Vitalis, William acted "so that the kingdom of England should always have 60,000 knights at the ready and produce them immediately at the king's command as necessity required" (Origins of English Feudalism).
The conquest also created a still-existing link between the island of Great Britain (which includes Wales, England, and Scotland) and the continent of Europe through the connection of England and French Normandy. You can see these connections in English culture, language, history, and economics. The Norman Conquest introduced the language of French to England, along with shifting the power in England over to the Normans. Until then, the citizens of it spoke only Old English and Latin. And while the Normans brought the language of French, the vocabulary of Norse and Germainic languages began to fade out.
The government was effected in many ways when the Normans adopted and modified the Anglo-Saxon's way of government. When the sophisticated way of government was handed over to the Normans, the helped it grow even stronger. They strengthened and centralized this "autonomous shire system". William the Conqueror's archbishop during the Norman Conquest was Lanfranc. Lanfranc helped to reform the English church and have good church-state relationship by establishing Roman components and the Canon Law to England. Some other effects were that before the conquest, the "shire reeve" (country agent, or sheriff) was not very important. after the conquest, the sheriff was the highest-ranking civil official in each country. Also, some new words were introduced into the English language by the Normans. For example, before the conquest, there was only one word for the meat of pigs, sheep, and oxen. After the Norman conquest, the French brought over their words for these meats, including porc (pig), mouton (sheep), and boeuf (ox).