The day of William's coronation in London, Christmas Day 1066, the city was on edge. It had surrendered peacefully to William after he had slowly, systematicall

The day of William's coronation in London, Christmas Day 1066, the city was on edge. It had surrendered peacefully to William after he had slowly, systematically cut off every road to the city. When the city people cried out in celebration at the new king William's men — being Normans, Bretons, Flemish and other continentals — did not understanding what was said in English. They misinterpreted the crowd as if they had assassinated William. Suddenly they attacked the townspeople and set fire to nearby houses. The cries of alarm and the smell of acrid smoke could be heard and smelled from within the church as William was crowned king. Eventually peace would be restored, but that moment was forever emblematic of the uneasy reign William would have over England.