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1066: Conquest, Conflict, and Loss - new video
23 May 2022
Dr Erin Goeres explores overlooked complexities of 1066 and its connections to modern day politics.
1066 was a momentous year in English history. The death of the childless king, Edward the Confessor, caused a succession crisis that prompted noblemen from across Europe to claim the English throne. The country was invaded twice, first by Norwegian and then by Norman troops, with the English army eventually defeated at the Battle of Hastings. But while modern political discourse often exploits the idea of 1066 as a struggle between England and Europe, Dr Erin Goeres argues that this oversimplification ignores the complexities of the medieval period. The peoples of England, Scandinavia, and Normandy were closely connected at this time, with shared histories, cultures, and even languages. To what extent should we see the conflicts of 1066 as a broader display of intrafamilial strife?
Erin Goeres is Associate Professor at The UCL School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS).
This film was produced by Graham Riach, in collaboration with Claudia Sternberg of the European Institute.
