Great Commanders

[Steel God]

As I understand it the idea behind the defining moment in history thing is that it led to a powerful England with all it's ramifications throughout history.

Well although it's sort of counter history stuff, it could be suggested that the conquest actually blunted English (Anglo-saxon) developement/culture.

England before 1066 had always been subject to invasion...but that's because it was both comparatively rich and poorly organized. William came not to plunder, but for pride, and he intended to keep what he claimed. As such, he took over a rich and disorganized country and made it both efficient and prosperous, and in the end, protected it from the raiding and plundering that had sapped her for centuries. Without William and Hastings in 1066 I don't think you have the England that was the envy of the Medieval world, or the England of Empire, etc etc. William laid the foundation for the greatness that the English would experience for the next 800 years. Without him I'm willing to bet the world of western civilization would be speaking much more French than it is today.

For the effects of the outcomes of his actions at Hastings, Duke William is in my mind one of the Greatest Commanders in history.