Which battle in 1066 established William the Conqueror as king of England?

The Battle of Hastings in 1066 established William the Conqueror as king of England. William, Duke of Normandy, defeated the English army led by King Harold Godwinson on October 14, 1066.

The battle followed a succession crisis after the death of Edward the Confessor. Harold had defeated a Norwegian invasion at Stamford Bridge in northern England shortly before marching south to face William. That rapid movement left his army tired before the Norman encounter.

Harold’s death is traditionally associated with an arrow striking his eye, although the surviving Bayeux Tapestry scene is not completely unambiguous. William was crowned at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. Norman rule transformed English landholding, castles, government, and vocabulary.