Who was the Norman leader who became king of England after 1066?

The story behind the answer

He was the Duke of Normandy who claimed England’s throne after Edward the Confessor died without an heir. Backed by a papal banner and Norman knights, he invaded in 1066 and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, then was crowned on Christmas Day. His claim rested on kinship with Edward and an oath he said Harold had sworn to support him.

His rule transformed England: Norman lords replaced much of the Anglo-Saxon elite, stone castles and cathedrals rose, and feudal control tightened. The great survey known as the Domesday Book (1086) cataloged land and wealth, while the influx of Norman French profoundly influenced English law, governance, and vocabulary.