Here is a brief outline of what we want to include in the contents of our ten points for our websites, collated from the various sources of  information we found on the internet and in books.

Information for 10 things you should know about the Battle of Hastings 1066


5th January 1066 Edward the Confessor died, leaving Harold the thrown as he had no direct heir but William claimed that he was promised the crown. William began to prepare an army to invade England and claim his right to the throne. However due to weather conditions the William and his army had to wait several months for suitable weather to cross the English Channel.

25th September 1066 the Battle of Stamford Bridge took place when Harold’s brother Tostig allied with Harald Hardrada of Norway arrived in northern England and took York. Harold marched his troops up north and where he defeated them in this battle.

13th October 1066 soon after he heard news of the Norman invasion in the south and marched his army back down to Sussex to prepare to battle again.

14th October 1066 the battle commences 6 miles northwest of Hastings at Senlac Hill, Battle, Hastings

The Armies

The Normans- under Duke William

2000 cavalry
800 archers
3000 infantry

Weapons
Short-bow, crossbow, spears, swords, battle mace

Armour/clothing
Lightly clothed for rapid movement, chain mail, conical shaped helmets, kite shaped shield

The Saxons- under Harold, king of England

2000 Houscarls (the king’s bodyguards) smaller number due to battle of Stamford Bridge
2000 of his brothers’ Leofwin and Gwrth highly trained troops
4000 fyrdsmen (part time soldiers)

Weapons
Two handed axe (Viking origins)
Short-axes
Spears
Homemade swords (fyrdsmen)

Armour/clothing
Chain mail, helmet (similar to the Norman style), traditional round shield

The Battle formations

(Insert sketches here)

Harold-
Positioned his army at the top of the ridge, in a shield wall

William-
150 yards away on lower ground, the right made up of Franco-Flemish troops, the Bretons on the left and the Normans in the centre. Each division was divided on to 3 ranks.
1- archers/spearmen
2- infantry
3- cavalry

Strategy/The battle

With a tired army from the battle of Stamford Bridge Harold had no choice but to take a defensive approach to the fight. The shield wall, the most formidable defence where the all the men at the front locked shields together was very effective. The Normans approach was to soften up the wall but the infantry and cavalry made no infiltration through this, and as a result the Saxons tired the Norman army. However when some of the Norman horsemen turned away the Saxons made a fatal mistake and left their positions and broke ranks to pursue the fleeing opponents. This break in the wall allowed the opposition in and weakened the defence of the Harold’s army as the same mistake was repeated twice later on in the day where some troops chased the apparently fleeing enemy. An arrow, the famous arrow that was released by a Norman archer hit Harold in the eye, where he was then attacked further and killed. The Saxon army then leaderless had no choice but to turn and flee from the battle.

The victory/aftermath

Victory was William’s and he was to be soon named ‘the conqueror’. William was crowned king on Christmas day 1066 at Westminster Abbey. From this point on England was under the rule of the Normans.

Harold’s face was so disfigured that it was difficult to find his body and had to be identified by his concubine Edith Swan-Neck by intimate marks on his body. He was buried at Waltham Abbey next to the battlefield. The Bayuex Tapestry created between 1070 and 1077 and documents the Battle of Hastings and all the events, which lead up to it.