The pivotal battle in 1066 that changed English history was the Battle of Hastings. This decisive conflict was fought between the Norman-French army led by Duke William II of Normandy and the English army commanded by King Harold II. Following the death of Edward the Confessor, a power struggle ensued, and William's victory initiated the Norman Conquest of England. This event transformed English society, culture, and governance, leading to significant changes in land ownership, the introduction of feudalism, and the blending of Norman and Anglo-Saxon traditions that shaped medieval England.