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The 11th century was a time of war, treachery and repeated struggles for power and ultimate control over England, culminating in three brutal battles against William of Normandy's invading armies. Countries, kings, noblemen and families fought with and against each other, often with very bloody results. Historian Susan Bottom steers you through the tumult, the ever-changing list of rulers, and the various versions of the historical record to an understanding of the significant contributions of the era. For the first time a king used the concept of a "contract" to describe the royal's responsibilities to the masses; a complete census was taken and recorded; and the invading Normands established a strict and harsh code of law, turning England into a feudal society.