Crowns Power and Survival: The British Monarchy before there was a crown

Blood and Crown: The Battle of Hastings (1066)

In 1066 England faces a succession crisis after King Edward's death; three claimants—including Harold Godwinson and William, Duke of Normandy—vie for the throne. The episode follows Harold's rapid marches, the Battle of Hastings, and William's victory and coronation, then describes Norman rule: dispossession of English nobles, castle-building, the Domesday Book, and cultural change. It explains how conquest replaced peaceful succession and set a precedent for rule by force, shaping the future of the English monarchy.

Crowns Power and Survival: The British Monarchy before there was a crown

Long before there was a United Kingdom, the land we now call Britain was a patchwork of tribes, kingdoms and invaders. Exploring this period, until the Reign of William I.