English Monarchs
The Norman Kings of England

The Norman conquest changed England in a way that is difficult to imagine today. Not only did the Normans impose new laws, taxes and rules, they also littered England with magnificent castles, churches and abbeys, many of which are still standing today, and brought a new language - Norman French.

For years to come, English monarchs - including my favourite Richard the Lionheart - spoke no English at all and ruled lands on both sides of the Channel.

Besides castles, churches and laws, the Norman period left us two outstanding historical treasures. One, the Bayeux tapestry, shows the history of the Norman Conquest in all its violence in great detail.

The other, the Domesday Book, was born by William the Conqueror's determination to know exactly how much the kingdom he'd just won for himself was worth.

Domesday, is an amazingly detailed survey of England, its people and resources shortly after the conquest. It was called Domesday because - like on Judgement Day - nobody could argue its findings. It's a unique source for historians and history lovers alike.

William's blood were not the most lucky of English monarchs. King Henry I's only son died in a shipwreck, leading to a lengthy, bloody civil war which pitted Henry's daughter Matilda (Empress Maud) against her cousin Stephen for the crown of England. The contest was not resolved until Stephen, whose own son Eustace had died, offered to install Matilda's son Henry as his heir.

And from Henry then sprang England's longest ruling bloodline. The fierce, occasionally brilliant, volatile Plantagenets.

The Norman Kings of England

More about the Normans and their impact on English life can be found on these pages:

• Norman England
• The Norman Conquest
• Norman Castles
• Norman Castles A - Z
• The Bayeux Tapestry
• The Domesday Book
• The Norman Succession