The BBC Releases New 'King & Conqueror' Images with U.K. Premiere Date Announcement

British period dramas often focus on specific eras more than others. There are numerous reasons for this, including the desire to remain within a recognizable level of societal structure that is familiar to modern audiences, or because a well-known character/author's works are set in a specific era. The Regency Era, for example, is often a go-to choice, as is the mid-Victorian era from the 1860s to the 1880s. Further back in the timeline, we usually see series set during King Henry's first divorce (but rarely his second one), and during his daughter Elizabeth's reign (but seldom Mary's or James').

Period dramas that aren't religious in nature rarely risk going back much further, which is why the forthcoming BBC series, King & Conqueror, set during 1066 (and all that), is such an exciting arrival. Headlined by PBS favorite James Norton (Grantchester) as King Harold and HBO heartthrob Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) as William, Duke of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror, the series focuses on retelling the Battle of Hastings, perhaps one of the most important key moments in British history that set the island on the path of becoming a global empire.

Considering that 1066 is such a formative era for the Western world, it's almost surprising this is the first time it's been given the big-budget, limited-series treatment. However, it's understandable when you recall that the most significant technological advances of the 11th century were blowing glass and the rediscovery of horseshoes. If the past is a foreign country, the 11th century might as well take place on a different planet.