Norman Invasion (05:22)

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Though the Battle of Hastings in 1066 is viewed as the last major invasion of Britain, at least 17 more happened later. Sam Willis outlines the importance of the Normans' arrival and how it reshaped British life. William the Conqueror was able to kill Harold II and claim the crown because of the longbow.

William the Conqueror (05:36)

William the Conqueror was a ruthless leader and drove out Anglo-Saxon landowners as he moved north through the kingdom. The new Norman rulers built huge castles and churches to show their dominance. The Great Survey was conducted to assess the kingdom's wealth and raise taxes.

Invasion by Invitation (08:05)

In 1216, Prince Louis of France was allowed to enter Rochester Castle by English barons as part of a plan to dethrone Bad King John. John died unexpectedly and his son Henry was crowned. Henry implemented the Magna Carta, which gave the barons what they wanted and made Prince Louis' invasion unnecessary.

Norse Invasion of Scotland (07:40)

Vikings had been raiding the western part of Scotland for 200 years and by the 1200s it was under Norwegian rule. As the Scottish kingdom grew more powerful, it began to reclaim the territory. A storm stopped a Norwegian invasion and the allegiance of the region slowly shifted to Scotland, though Norse culture elements remained.

Impostor Invasion (07:21)

Three failed invasions were staged by a man claiming to be Richard of York, who had vanished after his family lost the War of the Roses to the Tudors. Before his execution in 1499, he confessed that he was actually a silk merchant's assistant from Flanders.

Spanish Armada (05:45)

Catholic nobles in England had encouraged the Spanish Armada to invade and overthrow Queen Elizabeth I, a Protestant. Elizabeth's navy faced the Spanish ships at Calais, stopped them from landing, and defeated them. The success was commemorated with portraits and coins.

Dutch Invasion (06:14)

In the 1667, England and the Netherlands were having peace talks about wars in the colonies, while also planning invasions. When the talks stalled, the Netherlands launched a surprise attack on the English Navy in its dockyard. The English were able to recover and eventually the Dutch retreated.

Credits: Invasion: Episode 2 (00:25)

Credits: Invasion: Episode 2