William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror, originally William of Normandy, rules as Duke of Normandy. He launches the 1066 invasion of England, defeats King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, and claims the throne as William I. His heavy cavalry and archers overpower Saxon forces weakened by Viking battles. He imposes Norman feudalism, centralizes authority, and introduces French influences into English law, language, and aristocracy. Ambitious and tactically sharp, he exploits rivals' divisions to forge a lasting Anglo-Norman realm.