Why hasn't the United Kingdom been invaded since AD 1066?

Answer 1

It has, the question should be rephrased as successfully invaded. The isolation of the UK in being composed of islands, the weather in the channels and seas surrounding the islands and the strength of the Royal Navy have been the main reasons. Latterly the RAF also has defeated the Luftwaffe leading to the cancellation of operation Sea Lion in 1940. Additionally the Kingdom of Great Britain only came about when Scotland and England united (Crown 1603 , Parliament 1707). It became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. A number of attempts have been made, the main of which are :- England :- The 1216 invasion by Louis VIII of France, defeated. The 1386 French planned invasion during the hundred years war never carried out. The Spanish Armada 1588 which was defeated at Sea consisting of 22 warships and 108 converted merchant ships carrying troops and supplies. 1688 Dutch army with English Parliament's invitation "invades" to put William of Orange on the throne. Great Britain 1708 French troops 6,000 strong accompany James Stuart to invade Scotland, fleet defeated by Royal Navy and dispersed 1719 5,000 Spanish troops supporting James Stuart land in Scotland but are defeated 1744 10,000 French troops loaded onto barges but bad weather and the Royal Navy wrecks the fleet 1746 - Troops (mainly exiled Scots and Irish regiments serving in the French army), supplies and money landed in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie - Jacobite's defeated at Culloden. 1759 - 100,000 troops assemble but the invasion is cancelled after British Naval defeats of the French. 1778 onwards French/Spanish plans to invade during the American war of Independence. 1797 French landed in Wales - defeated 1798 French & Irish rebels landed in Ireland - defeated United Kingdom 1803-1805 Napoleon plans invasion but is never carried out 1940 - Operation Sea Lion - cancelled after air supremacy cannot be won by the Germans. The Battle of Britain occurs "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" Answer Great Britain is a fairly recent creation and consists of the nations of England, Scotland and Wales and has never been invaded. If you mean who invaded these contries as a whole before the concept of Great Britain was invented, then the last time was 1066 by the Norman's. They were a group from what is now Northern France with their origins in Scandanavia. There have been unsuccessful attempts or threats of invasion since, namely by Spain with The Armada, France under Napoleon and Germany under Hitler, but all failed. There have been partial raids into parts of England by Spain and Scotland but they never invaded the whole country, however England did conquer both Wales and Scotland leading eventually to the creation of Great Britain.