William the Conqueror ruled as the Duke of Normandy from 1035 to 1087 and as King of England from 1066 to 1087. The sole son of Robert the Magnificent and Herleva, William was born illegitimate in Falaise, Normandy, part of France. William invaded England, won a victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest. The arrival and conquest of William and the Normans radically altered the course of English history.