Which monarch commissioned the creation of the Domesday Book?

Alright, let's talk about the Domesday Book. Imagine you've just conquered a country – what's the first thing you'd want to know? Probably how much land there is, who owns it, and what it's all worth! That's exactly what William the Conqueror wanted after he defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. By 1085, nearly 20 years after the Norman Conquest, William commissioned a massive survey of England. This survey was incredibly detailed, listing land, livestock, and even the number of peasants. It was so comprehensive that people at the time felt it was like Judgement Day – hence the name "Domesday," a spelling of "Doomsday." The Domesday Book served several purposes: it helped William establish his power, assess taxes, and understand the resources he now controlled. While other monarchs like Edward I were important, they came later and had nothing to do with the initial creation of this vital record. King Alfred the Great was much earlier, and Kenneth MacAlpin was a Scottish king, so neither of them would have commissioned a survey of England.