Battle of Hastings 1066

                              The Battle of Hastings

          On his deathbed Edward the Confessor is said to have bequeathed his kingdom to Harold Godwin who was a powerful nobleman. He had no claim to the throne but the council elevated him to the throne. The duke of Normandy a distant relation to Edward the Confessor claimed that Edward bequeathed him the throne should he die without a successor in 1051. William's claim was believed legitimate by most of Europe.

          King Harald Hardrada of Norway also claimed the throne and landed his troops in north-east England.This took Harold by surprise and he had an insufficient force (the fryd had already disbanded after two months on standby this was the maximum time the law allowed militia to operate for). Harold went to meet Harald Hardrada in battle at Stamford bridge with his bodyguards the housecarl and the fryd who hadn't dispersed. Harold's troops were victorious and Harald Hardrada was killed in action.

          Less than a week later Harold heard that Duke William had landed at Pevensey Bay. Harold immediately led his  depleted army south to London to gather as many men as he could. He stayed in London for just five days before he marched to the coast to confront the Normans.
 
          On the 13th of October 1066 Harold deployed his force on Senlac Hill. This was a very strong defencive position. It dominated the Hastings to London road, its front was only 550 metres long and Harold's flanks were secure by steep slopes cut with gullies. News of Harold's appearance surprised William but did not dismay him. William gathered up his 6,000 troops and marched them to Senlac Bay on the 14th of October.

          William deployed his well rested troops into three divisions. He deployed the French and his             mercenaries on the right, on the left was a mainly Breton force and in the centre he placed his Norman men-at-arms and knights which he led. The battle begun at 9am. William sent out his archers to rain arrows down on Harold's force until their quivers were empty. Harold had very few archers to retaliate. After the archers made way for the men-at-arms. The Anglo-Saxon line held under the men-at-arms charge. The Norman knights then tried to brake Harold's line with no more success than the men-at-arms had. Soon after the battle began William's Breton force began to flee chased by a group of ill-disciplined frydmen. William managed to rally his other two divisions and sent his Norman knights to surround and destroy the frydmen.

          After prodding the Anglo-Saxons with attack after attack he decided on a new stratagem and sent a force which pretended to retreat to draw out Harold's men from the ridge which was inspired by his Breton force earlier. Many of Harold's undisciplined frydmen fell for the ruse and were surrounded and destroyed. William ended the battle with another stratagem. He ordered his archers to fire arrows very high into the air forcing the Anglo-Saxons to raise their shields high in the air. This left them susceptible to a frontal assault and William poured his men-at-arms and Norman cavalry into the Anglo-Saxon front line. The Normans made their way quickly through the Anglo-Saxon ranks and cut down Harold. With no leader and Harold's two brothers lying dead Harold's force disintegrated giving victory to William.

          William was crowned William the Conqueror ten weeks later in Westminster Abbey on Christmas day.

       
       video made by the bbc. Picture made by new world encyclopedia.