I’ve been learning about human history chronologically, from the dawn of humanity to, right now I’m in the late 1060s.

I’m attempting to cover pretty much the whole world chronologically, so it’s taken a massive amount of time to get to the famous year of 1066, but I finally made it.

As a non-Brit, I previously knew next to nothing about the Norman invasion. I personally found the Danish invasion and usurpation of the English throne in 1016 to be the more interesting, heartbreaking story, but I’m glad I’ve finally studied the (perhaps) most famous year in history now.

And now I get the “what if” hype I always hear about the year. If Godwinson’s earls had beaten Hardrada and avoided the force march north and then south. If the invasions didn’t happen simultaneously. If William died instead of Godwinson (the battle was so close that it essentially came down to which contender fell first). And a bunch others.

And the consequences that would’ve shaped history had any of the would ifs happened. Pretty crazy to think.

I keep a mental list of really important battles. Hastings is up there with the 717 Muslim Siege of Constantinople, Yarmouk and Cstesiphon during the initial Muslim conquests, and maybe Tours as the most important battles in the western world after the fall of Rome up to that point.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve joined the club now. Looking forward to reading all about how in the hell William managed to hold onto a hostile England post-conquest AND his Norman duchy. That seems like more of a feat than winning a battle, to me.