CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: B - In 1066, William the Conqueror led the Norman conquest of England, wresting power from the Anglo-Saxon kings at the Battle of Hastings. The Normans were Viking descendants who occupied Normandy, a northern region in France. William I proved to be a good administrator in addition to being a strong military leader, but, as King of England, he struggled with the Danes residing in the Danelaw. With most of England secure, he preferred to spend his time in Normandy rather than in England. The connection between France and England, through William, changed the directions of England’s relationship to the rest of Europe. Prior to the Norman Conquest, England interacted with the Norsemen of Scandinavia more frequently than continental Europeans. Even more importantly, the English king’s possession of French territories would ultimately lead to the Hundred Years’ War.