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If you were to look back at hundreds of years of history in search of the one critical moment after which the history of the English-speaking world would never be the same again, it would undoubtedly be the year 1066.It was during this pivotal time that an event occurred that would have untold ramifications for the European continent: the Norman Conquest of England.But why does this moment matter so much, both for the medieval world and for us today in the 21st century? While the true meaning and importance of the Norman Conquest has been sharply debated, medievalist and award-winning Professor Jennifer Paxton of Georgetown University argues that the Norman Conquest, and the entire year of 1066, matters deeply for two key reasons.It turned England away from a former Scandinavian orientation toward an orientation with mainland Europe, making the island nation a major player in Europe's political, social, cultural, and religious events.