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William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy and defeated King Harold II. William introduced a new language that used old English syntax and grammar with French vocabulary. This battle was the last successful foreign invasion of England.
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England's important events
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The First Crusade was the start of an on-going battle to free Jerusalem from Palestine. Various armies from Europe were called upon to help free the Holy Land from Muslim control.
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King Richard ruled England for 10 years while only being in England for approximately 6 months. He relied on his ministers to run the Government while he was off leading his army in the Crusades.
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The Magna Carta was written by the Barons of King John. It was very important becausea it served as the basis for future laws such as due process. It was a template for the Declaration of Independence.
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After the death of Henry III, the Crusades ended. All the armies were forced to return to Europe.
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King Edward invaded Scotland because the Scots refused to support England in a battle against France. The Scots were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar and King Edward took the Scottish coronation stone and placed it at Westminster Abbey. It remained there until 1996.
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This was one of the first battles in the first war for Scottish independence. Edward Longshanks fought against Scottish leader William Wallace (of Braveheart fame). England won and Wallace hid for 7 years until he was captured and killed by the English.
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Robert the Bruce rebelled after William Wallace's death. He was crowned King of Scotland and the rebellion soon quieted. Longshanks launched another campaign against Scotland but died shortly thereafter, so the fight for Scotland pretty much dissolved.
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The Hundred Years war started because the Kings of England were still speaking French and they wanted to control France. The French king died and left no heirs. The French Nobles were torn between a strong leader in paris and a weaker foreign leader.
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A plague known as the Black Death spread to England from merchant ships. The Black Death killed approximately one-third to one half of the English population. It returned years later in 1361 and killed one-fifth of the population.
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The entire Holy Bible was translated to English for the first time. This translation made it possible to spread Christian ideals to the European countries.
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The Cantebury Tales was a story of traveling pilgrims. It was the first major literary work to be written in English over the preferred spoken language which was French.
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The Battle of Agincourt was an unlikely victory for England. It was fought by peasants against a trained French army. The English were able to make the French army disorganized by taunting them into fighting in a haphazard manner. The English used armor-piercing arrows and longbows to defeat the French. This battle was immortalized in the works of Shakespeare and Monty Python.
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Joan of Arc was imprisoned by the French and sold to England after she became a liability. She was put on trial for Heresy because they believed she was possessed by the devil. She was convicted of being a witch and was burned at the stake. She became a martyr to those who believed she was innocent.
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Malory wrote the Legend of King Arthur. It was about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It contained tales of chivalry and noble values as they searched for the Holy Grail.
