Our writing staff-Sarah Bellum, Pete Moss, Sandy Beach, Norman Conquest-with Guy Wire, Natalie Dressed, and Cliff Hanger.
–A Prairie Home Companion
These puny names hit the airwaves every week, and a similar cast is read at the close of Car Talk, where the law firm of Dewey, Cheetum, and Howe, the Russian cab driver Pickup Andropoff, and the emission tester Justin Hale IV are also given some credit. All are funny, so I was telling a co-worker about them the other day and he asked what was funny about Norman Conquest.
So I said something like, The Norman Conquest-it was all the rage in Hastening in 1066. Blank stare. 1066 conquest? Battle of 1066? Norman Conquest of England? The beginning of British history? No-he had never heard of the Battle of Hasting, 1066, or The Norman Conquest. Later I was at a BBQ joint and asked the waitress-Ever hear of the Norman Conquest? No, she had not.
The year 1066 is one of the most pivotal dates in English history. In that year, William the Bastard invaded from Normandy, seized the crown and became the first Norman king of England. Unlike the Viking invasions that had preceded it the Norman Conquest brought lasting changes in government, culture and language, shaping the way we think and our attitudes right up to the present day. England now entered Europe at centre stage.-Essential Norman Conquest.
The White Castle in the middle of the Tower of London in the middle of the city of London, England was build by William. The Battle of Hastings 1066 was the end of Britain as a bunch of separate tribes running around the island willy-nilly. The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 was a pretty freaking big deal. This is not just the History of England-it’s American History, World History as well. The Battle of Hastings setup all the Kings and Queens that would follow.
But you must have known that already, right? You knew about the Norman Conquest of England, didn’t you? Norman 1066? The medieval conquest of Hastings England? You knew the White Castle was a Norman castle and that a lot of history was written by Norman Kings. Or were you like my waitress-the battle of Hastings in 1066? Nah, never heard of it.
