The year 1066 is probably the best-known date in history — and marks the last successful invasion of England by force.

The year 1066 is probably the best-known date in history — and marks the last successful invasion of England by force.

William the Conqueror’s decision to invade was born of a wrangle over who was the true successor of the English king Edward the Confessor.

When Edward died on January 5, 1066, the throne was taken by Harold Godwinson, the late king’s brother-in-law and his closest adviser.

But he was not the only claimant to the throne. Across the Channel, William, Duke of Normandy, believed HE was the rightful heir.

William was a blood relation of Edward and insisted he had actually been promised the throne by the King some 15 years earlier.

William also claimed that in 1064 Harold had sworn a sacred oath to accept him as overlord and support his claim to the throne.

So when Harold was crowned, William protested vigorously. When his objections were ignored he began making plans to assert his claim by force.

Before William could launch his invasion Harold had to counter another threat — from Viking Harald Hardrada, of Norway, a third claimant to the throne.

Harald arrived with an army on England’s north-east coast in mid- September 1066.

King Harold swiftly assembled his forces and marched day and night towards York to counter this new threat.

On September 25 the English intercepted their enemy at Stamford Bridge near York.

The Vikings were utterly defeated, Hardrada himself among the dead.

But Harold’s celebrations had barely begun before news arrived that William’s 7,000-strong invasion force of archers, infantry and cavalry had landed near Pevensey in Sussex.

King Harold was forced to rally his weary troops for a gruelling 260-mile march south to meet the Normans.

The forces met near Hastings. Harold’s army, half of whom were untrained peasants, were no match for William’s archers.

Two of Harold’s brothers were killed.

Then the King himself was fatally shot in the eye by an arrow and William — later dubbed The Conqueror — was crowned King of England on Christmas Day.