William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066.

William the Conqueror was born in Normandy; knighted there as a young man, he built his power and reputation first through the defense and then through the unification of its territory. Convinced that the English crown should be his, William spent seven months preparing his attack. When he sailed across the English Channel on September 28, 1066, William had over 7,000 troops on 600 ships. While the battle was fierce, it took only several months for William to defeat the English, and he was crowned on Christmas Day at Westminster Abbey. Over the years, William fortified his reign by building over 80 castles in strategic areas around the country, which were defended by his royal army. At the same time, foreign lords, to whom William provided land confiscated from English nobles in exchange for military support, built their own private castles and defended them with private armies. This form of military defense was quite successful under William's crushing and fearsome reign, but would lead to years of anarchy when weaker rulers took his place without inspiring or commanding the loyalty of those private armies. After William I died, he was succeeded by his sons William II and Henry respectively, but those monarchs were followed by years of discord and conflict.

EDSITEment
In Not Everyone Lived in Castles During the Middle Ages (3–5), students learn about the lifestyle of the wealthy elite in the middle ages and then expand their view of medieval society by exploring the lives of the peasants, craftsmen and monks.

Chaucer's Wife of Bath (9–12) introduces students to one of the most admired characterizations in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," the Wife of Bath. Students investigate some of the literary sources that Chaucer drew upon as he created this portrait of a woman with her own ideas about matrimony. Then, they examine evidence about marriage in the Middle Ages and the role that women played in medieval society.

In The Beauty of Anglo Saxon Poetry: A Prelude to Beowulf (9–12), students study some of the manuscripts and riddles of the early Middle Ages. By capturing their attention and imagination with visually stunning images of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts, this lesson prepares students to read Beowulf with an appreciation for its artistry and beauty. Using the Internet, students study early manuscripts, learn the conventions of Anglo-Saxon poetry, solve riddles, write riddles and reflect on what they have learned.

ARTSEDGE
Students explore the historic importance and function of castles in the middle ages and learn about the general history of castles and architectural terms in Castles & Cornerstones (5–8).

EconEdLink
The Crusades were an important part of the Middle Ages. William the Conqueror's son Robert won great fame for his role in the first crusade and his capture of the Egyptian banner at Ascalon in 1099. In Let's Find a Deal - How the Crusades Led to the Finding of the New World (6–8), students discover the importance of the Crusades to the expansion of many European countries. They are also introduced to new products and find out why explorers were willing to risk all to locate new routes in order to reach these products quickly and cheaply.