1066 Hastings

I take a personal shine to this invasion since census records from 1067 contain the oldest historical record of my last name, so my wacky family history tracing aunts tell me.

For those of European descent, this is a watershed moment in history. Had this conflict on Senlac Hill gone the other way (and it damn near did) the history of Western Europe, and indeed the western world would have been dramatically different.

What is sometimes forgotten is how narrow a victory this was, and how great a feat of arms King Harold of England came within a hairsbreadth of accomplishing. Harold had become king on the death of Edward the Confessor early in 1066. In September a Norwegian army landed in Yorkshire and Harold force marched north to meet it, arriving in four days, catching the Norwegians by surprise and crushing them at the battle of Stamford Bridge on September 24.

Four days later the Normans under Duke William of Normandy landed in the south, and Harold again force marched his troops south to meet this new threat. He narrowly loses the battle, dying in the defeat, and the course of history is dramatically changed.

Today is October 14, and on this date in history, in 1066, William the Conquerer killed King Harold  and became King of England by right of conquest.  It would be hard to find as important a date is this one for the consequences that Norman institutions had on England and therefore upon the world.