Prior to the Norman occupation, both the Anglo-Saxons and the Celtic Britons before them had lived in smallish communities built on hill tops.

The Normans (from Nortmanni: “Northmen”) were originally pagan barbarian pirates from Denmark, Norway, and Iceland who began to make destructive plundering raids on European coastal settlements in the 8th century.
Overview: The Normans, 1066 - 1154. The Normans (from the Latin Normanni and Old Norse for "north men") were ethnic Scandinavian Vikings who settled in northwest France in the early 9th century AD. They controlled the region known as Normandy until the mid 13th century.

The Normans (1066–1154) William I (1066–87) The Norman Conquest has long been argued about. The local people called them the Norsemen from Norway.

From the British point of view, the main identifiers of the Norman invaders were the language they spoke (a variant of Frankish - French) and their tendency to build castles everywhere.

The main reason for this was their belief in primogeniture - when a Norman died all his property was given to his eldest son.

The question has been whether William I introduced fundamental changes in England or based his rule solidly on Anglo-Saxon foundations. Through a truce with the King of France, Normandy became a Duchy of France and their leader was called the Duke of Normandy.

On balance, the debate has favoured dramatic change while also granting … Good sources for Norman history include the buildings, many of which survive to today, writings of the men of the time, and the Bayeaux Tapestry, which shows the Norman invasion and conquest of England. However, they were originally Vikings from Scandinavia.

The Normans that invaded England in 1066 came from Normandy in Northern France. The Normans were not only warriors but also skilled leaders. From the eighth century Vikings terrorized continental European coastlines with raids and plundering. Pork became a more popular choice and dairy products were used less. They settled in northern France during the early 900s.

The Normans were successful farmers but they still felt the need to raid other lands.

They were originally Vikings from Scandinavia.

Their dukes formed a complex and well-organized society, dividing their kingdom into areas called fiefs.

There is evidence the Norman invasion led to more controlled and standardised mass agricultural practices. The Normans raided Italy, and were a driving force behind the Crusades.

The Normans brought a powerful new aristocracy to Britain, and yet preserved much that was Anglo-Saxon about their new possession. They quickly changed England into a Norman kingdom. Overview: The Normans, 1066 - 1154. They eventually became known as the Normans and the land they lived in became known as Normandy. The question has been whether William I introduced fundamental changes in England or based his rule solidly on Anglo-Saxon foundations.

United Kingdom - United Kingdom - The Normans (1066–1154): The Norman Conquest has long been argued about. The Normans were descendants of the Norsemen, or Vikings, and were fierce fighters. The Normans were most powerful under William, Duke of Normandy, who led the conquest of England in 1066. (The name Normandy comes from the French normand, meaning Norsemen and Normans) (The photographs below and throughout the following page were taken from the Battle of Hastings re-enactment in October 2006) Richard the Lionheart was Duke of Normandy before becoming king of England; The Domesday Book is a large survey that notes England’s earliest public and legal records. The Normans were people who lived in Normandy in Northern France.
The Normans established many schools, monasteries, cathedrals and churches in both Italy and England and after conquering England built many castles to defend their new land. The Normans brought a powerful new aristocracy to Britain, and yet preserved much that was Anglo-Saxon about their new possession. These people gave their name to the duchy of Normandy, a territory ruled by a duke that grew out of a 911 treaty between King Charles III of West Francia and Rollo, the leader of the Vikings.

Their dukes formed a complex and well-organized society, dividing their kingdom into areas called fiefs.

The Normans were primary builders of castles in Europe and England. A particularly controversial issue has been the introduction of feudalism.

The Normans were Vikings who had settled along the coast of France.

This often resulted in younger sons leaving to go in search of their own lands. These Hill Forts …

The proto-Normans instead settled their conquests and cultivated land. This is the oldest surviving public record, and the Normans created it.