1066 and all that

Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of the Norman Conquest. If you don't recall what that was or why it was important, let me quote from the excellent Wikipedia entry on the topic:

The Norman Conquest was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. It is an important watershed in English history for a number of reasons. It tied England more closely with Continental Europe and away from Scandinavian influence, created one of the most powerful monarchies in Europe, created the most sophisticated governmental system in Europe, changed the English language and culture, and set the stage for a long future of English-French conflict. It remains the last successful military invasion of England.

So, see? Pretty major stuff! The BBC also has a cool Norman Conquest site, where you can play the Battle of Hastings game and try to rewrite history with your superior military strategy.