A Thousand Years Ago, This Town Changed England

Hastings,a coastal town in southeastern England.
In 1066, the Battle of Hastings, a pivotal event that reshaped English history, unfolded here.
In this battle, Harold II, the English king who had only just defeated the Vikings, hastily confronted the French forces before fully recovering from the previous war. Ultimately, he was defeated and killed.
William the Conqueror, from France, ascended to become the new King of England.
Thus began the Norman Conquest, ushering in an era of centuries-long influence on English language and culture from France.