What are the two significant historical sources that provide information about England during the reign of William I?

Okay, let's explore the historical records from William the Conqueror's time. After William won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he needed to understand and control his new kingdom. That's where the Domesday Book comes in. Commissioned in 1085 and completed in 1086, it was a comprehensive survey of England, essentially a record of who owned what land and what it was worth. Think of it as a massive inventory to help William collect taxes and establish his authority. The name "Domesday" reflects the finality of the judgment, like the Day of Judgement, because its record was considered definitive. The Bayeux Tapestry is a different kind of source. It's an embroidered cloth, nearly 70 meters long, that visually tells the story of the Norman Conquest from the Norman perspective. It depicts the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings, the battle itself, and its aftermath. While it's not a completely unbiased account, it provides valuable insights into the Norman view of events and the material culture of the time. So, both the Domesday Book and the Bayeux Tapestry are crucial primary sources for understanding England during William I's reign because they offer different but complementary perspectives on his conquest and rule. The Diary of Samuel Pepys is much later, from the 17th century, and the Magna Carta comes from the reign of King John in the 13th century, well after William's time.