The Battle of Hastings was a pivotal confrontation between the Norman forces led by Duke William of Normandy and the Anglo-Saxon army commanded by King Harold II of England. The conflict emerged from a complex web of succession disputes. After the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold was crowned king, yet William claimed that Edward had promised him the throne. This led William to invade England in an effort to assert his claim. On the morning of the battle, the two armies met on Senlac Hill in Sussex. The Anglo-Saxons held a strong defensive position but were eventually overwhelmed by the ingenuity of William's tactics, which included the strategic use of cavalry and archers, and clever deception strategies to create openings in Harold's defenses.

As the battle progressed, Harold was mortally wounded, reportedly shot through the eye with an arrow. His death triggered chaos amongst the Anglo-Saxon forces, ultimately leading to their defeat. The battle lasted all day, with the eventual victory for the Normans fundamentally altering the future of England. Following the victory, William advanced towards London, culminating in his coronation as King of England at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day that year.

William's conquest led to profound changes in English society and culture, including shifts in land ownership, the introduction of Norman French as the language of the elite, and significant architectural innovations such as the building of castles and the Tower of London. The battle and its aftermath are famously depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, a captivating narrative embroidery illustrating the events leading to the conquest and its immediate consequences.