▁of ▁England , ▁in ▁ 1 2 1 6 . ▁A ▁disput ed ▁succession ▁and ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁H ast ings ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁England ▁by ▁William ▁of ▁Norm andy ▁in ▁ 1 0 6 6 . ▁This ▁linked ▁the ▁crown ▁of ▁England ▁with ▁poss essions ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁brought ▁a ▁new ▁arist ocracy ▁to ▁the ▁country ▁that ▁domin ated ▁land hold ing , ▁government ▁and ▁the ▁church . ▁They ▁brought ▁with ▁them ▁the ▁French ▁language ▁and ▁maintained ▁their ▁rule ▁through ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁cast les ▁and ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁a ▁fe ud al ▁system ▁of ▁land hold ing . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁William ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 0 8 7 , ▁England ▁formed ▁the ▁largest ▁part ▁of ▁an ▁Ang lo - N orm an ▁emp ire , ▁ruled ▁by ▁nobles ▁with ▁land hold ings ▁across ▁England , ▁Norm andy ▁and ▁Wales . ▁William ' s ▁sons ▁disput ed ▁succession ▁to ▁his ▁lands , ▁with ▁William ▁II ▁emer ging ▁as ▁r uler ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁much ▁of ▁Norm andy . ▁On ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 1 0 0 ▁his ▁younger ▁brother ▁claimed ▁the ▁throne ▁as ▁Henry ▁I ▁and ▁defeated ▁his ▁brother ▁Robert ▁to ▁reun ite ▁England ▁and ▁Norm andy . ▁Henry ▁was ▁a ▁r uth less ▁yet ▁effective ▁king , ▁but ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁only ▁male ▁he ir ▁in ▁the ▁White ▁Sh ip ▁tra ged y , ▁he ▁persu aded ▁his ▁bar ons ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁his ▁daughter ▁Mat ilda ▁as ▁he