Timeline

1066	Oct 14	Battle of Hastings
		William the Conqueror and Harold II met in battle at Hastings. Although Harold had the superior position on the battlefield his tactics failed and he was killed. This left England open for William to continue with his invasion plans.
	Dec 25	William the Conqueror becomes King of England
		William the Conqueror was coronated as King of England in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day of 1066.
1067		Construction of Winchester Castle
		Construction of a wooden castle was begun at Winchester.
		Construction of Wallingford Castle
		A castle at Wallingford was built in this year. It would have been a motte and bailey type castle.
		A castle at Norwich is begun
		A motte and bailey castle is built at Norwich.
		Chepstow Castle begun
		Construction of Chepstow Castle is begun.
1068		Construction of Nottingham Castle
		William and the Normans started construction of the castle at Nottingham. This would have been a wooden building. It was built on the high ground above the town using the step slope down to the river Leen as a defence.
		Northern English move to Scotland
		Many of the northern English lords escaped to Scotland and the court of Malcolm III when it was clear that William had control of the country.
		Warwick Castle built on William's orders
		William the Conqueror ordered the building of Warwick Castle.
	Feb	Exeter falls to William
		Although William had defeated Harold at Hastings, Harold's mother Gytha and her forces still had not submitted to William's rule. They held out at Exeter until William broke the defenses. William had to take heavy casualties in the confrontation.
	May 11	Matilda is crowned Queen
		William brought his wife Matilda of Flander to England to crown her Queen of England.
1069		Danish fought off at Sandwich
		An attack by a Danish invasion fleet led by Sweyn Estrithson of Denmark was fought off by a garrison stationed at a castle at Sandwich. Sandwich was an important port on the south coast. The location has now been found and the site is being investigated.
	Dec	The North is devastated by the Normans
		William's forces defeat rebels in the North and Midlands.
1070		Building work at Chepstow
		William Fitz Osbern built the hall at Chepstow Castle.
		Malcolm raids Northern England
		The Scottish king attacked towns in the north of England.
		Castle at Old Sarum
		Using the prehistoric hill fort's defensive position to good use, the Normans built a new castle on the Old Sarum site. William the Conqueror paid off his soldiers here in this year.
		Castles at Chester and Stafford begun
		William continues his castle building spree at both Chester and Stafford.
	Jun	Hereward the Wake sacks Peterborough Abbey
		As part of a revolt against the new Norman invaders, Hereward the Wake sacks the abbey at Peterborough.
1071		Richmond Castle construction
		The construction of Richmond Castle began around this time by Alan Rufus, the cousin of the Duke of Brittany.
		Dudley Castle Construction
		After Eadwin, the Earl of Mercia, was killed in the revolt against William his castle and lands at Dudley were given to William's Norman followers.
		William puts down the revolt
		The rebels Hereward the Wake and Morcar on the Isle of Ely were attacked and defeated by William the Conqueror.
1072		Treaty of Abernethy
		Treaty between William the Conqueror and Malcolm III of Scotland. In this treaty Malcolm paid homage to William.
		At Durham, another castle is ordered
		William orders the castle as Durham to be built.
	Jun	William leads an army into Scotland
		It is possible that William the Conqueror was planning to attack King Malcolm to prevent him protecting Edgar the Aetheling and to stop him advancing into the north of England. The treaty 'Peace of Abernethy' brought a solution to the situation where Malcolm agreed to become William's vassal and to expel Edgar.
1073		Edgar the Aetheling attempts to take the English throne
		Edgar joins forces with King Malcolm in Scotland and King Philippe I of France.
1075		Chepstow Castle passes to the crown
		Roger Fitz Osbern joined an unsuccessful uprising against the king and lost. The castle then passed to the crown.
		Construction of Windsor Castle
		Construction of Windsor castle started by William the Conqueror.
1078		Work starts on the White Tower
		Gundulf began work on the White Tower, the Tower of London.
1080		Construction of Lewes Castles
		Work on a castle at Lewes began in 1080 and lasted possibly to around 1100.
		Colchester castle begun
		To defend the esturies of Essex against attacks from the Danes William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a new castle at Colchester.
1081		Cardiff Castle created
		William the Conqueror may have ordered the creation of a castle at Cardiff during his tour of Southern Wales.
		William tours south Wales
		William the Conqueror visited South Wales and St. David's. He met Rhys ap Tewdwr, the ruler of the area and allowed him to remain in control of the region for a yearly sum of money.
1085	Dec 25	Domesday Book
		At the Christmas Council William ordered the creation of survey of property with their values and populations county by county covering most of England. Commissioners were sent all over England, apart from the far north, to make a record of the population, value, state and ownership of the land. The book consisted of two volumes and was completed by 1088.
1086	Aug 1	Council of Salisbury
		A meeting was called by William the Conqueror where he invited his most important vassals and Tenants in Chief in England to swear allegiance to him. The oath is now known as the Oath of Salisbury.