The Battle for England's Crown: Uncovering the Hidden Players The 1066 Battle of Hastings has long been viewed as a pivotal moment in English history, with William the Conqueror defeating Harold Godwinson and his forces in a bloody clash that would forever change the course of English politics and culture.
However, a newly discovered papal letter from Pope Alexander II suggests that this narrative may be only half the story.
Historians have long viewed the Norman Conquest as the result of a power struggle sparked by the death of Edward the Confessor and rival claims to the English throne. But what about the role of the Church in all this?