People Power (1066 - 1415)

Overview

How the Norman Conquest in 1066 transformed Britain, as William the Conqueror sought to assert his power over the whole of England by dismantling the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy and crushing regional diversity. The programme explores the human cost of his campaign and the lasting legacy of the social structures established by the Normans, and explains how a spirit of resistance began to foment among the population. Dramatic reconstructions also reveal how the longbow was instrumental in Henry V's famous victory at the battle of Agincourt in 1415. With contributions by Tim Roth, Jeremy Irons, Micky Flanagan and Tracey Emin.