The Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings, fought on October 14, 1066, was a pivotal moment in English history. This clash saw the Norman-French army led by Duke William of Normandy decisively defeat the Anglo-Saxon forces under King Harold II. The battle marked the beginning of the Norman Conquest of England, fundamentally altering the country’s culture, governance, and language. The victory at Hastings established William as William the Conqueror and led to significant changes in medieval European history.

Battle of Hastings: William Conquers England

Historical EventThe Battle of Hastings
DateOctober 14, 1066
LocationNear Hastings, East Sussex, England
CombatantsNormans (led by William the Conqueror) vs. Anglo-Saxons (led by King Harold II)
OutcomeNorman victory
SignificationBeginning of Norman rule in England; end of Anglo-Saxon rule
CasualtiesEstimated 7,000–8,000 on the Anglo-Saxon side, 2,000–3,000 on the Norman side
Tactics usedFeigned retreats by Normans, shield wall by Anglo-Saxons
AftermathWilliam the Conqueror crowned King of England on December 25, 1066
The Battle of Hasting

Introduction

In England during the 11th century, it was common for famous people to be given nicknames, often visually descriptive, to distinguish them from others with the same name. Thus, one man was called Harold Fairhair; another, Harold Bluetooth. Sometimes, the nicknames indicated aspects of their character or personality, such as Robert the Pius. Perhaps the most unfortunately named was William the Bastard, a son of Robert the Magnificent, duke of Normandy. William, perhaps sensitive about his nickname, crossed the English Channel in 1066 with an invasion force, won the Battle of Hastings, and conquered England. His victory not only changed the course of English and world history, but it also earned him a more flattering nickname: William the Conqueror.

English Succession Problem

  • (1) In England, 1066 began with the death of King Edward the Confessor. His demise created a succession crisis, out of which four claimants emerged:
    (a) Harold Godwinson, a relative of Edward’s wife, was from a powerful family that controlled much English territory, and Edward may have made a deathbed acknowledgment of him.
    (b) The king of Denmark traced his descent from Cnut, an earlier king of England.
    (c) King Harald Hadrada of Norway was eagerly looking to extend his power over more territory.
    (d) William of Normandy was supposedly promised the English throne by Edward the Confessor when William visited in 1052.
  • (2) Several sources assert that when Harold visited Normandy in 1063, he swore an oath that he would recognize and support William as heir to the English throne.
  • (3) In the short term, Harold took the throne of England, but Harald Hadrada and William of Normandy were determined to contest his claim by force of arms.

The Opponents

  • (1) Harold summoned his supporters and retainers, the professional core of his army. He also called out the fyrd, a general summons somewhat like a militia. By late summer, Harold had gathered these forces in southern England near the coast, in anticipation of William’s landing.
  • (2) Meanwhile, William began mustering his troops and constructing ships, but weather and other factors delayed him. By early September, Harold’s men were running low on provisions and the mandated tour of duty for the fyrdmen was expiring. He had to begin disbanding his army.
  • (3) Just then, Harald Hadrada landed a force of 300 to 500 ships in northern England, moved inland, and captured York.
  • (4) Harold Godwinson acted swiftly, recalling his troops and covering 190 miles in just five days. On September 25, he came upon the main Norse army at Stamford Bridge.
  • (5) The Battle of Stamford Bridge was hard-fought. Hadrada was eventually struck down by an arrow that pierced his windpipe, but the Norsemen fought on even after their king was slain, bolstered by the arrival of reinforcements from their ships.
  • (6) In the end, the English prevailed, but both sides suffered heavy casualties. Some have claimed the Battle of Stamford Bridge as one of the key battles in world history, an argument that has some validity. This battle definitively ended the growing Viking influence in England that might have oriented England toward Scandinavia rather than the European mainland.
  • (7) A few days later, word came that William had taken advantage of Harold’s absence to cross the channel and land his army, organizing his forces on a road that led to London in the peninsula near Hastings, where his army could be resupplied by sea.
  • (8) Harold marched south, reaching London in five days, where he paused for several days to assemble more troops. On October 13, Harold camped within a few miles of William, and both armies prepared to do battle the next day.

The Armies and Their Technology

  • (1) The arms, tactics, and equipment of Harold’s Anglo-Saxon army and William’s Norman army shared much in common:
    (a) The wealthier warriors on both sides would have worn long shirts of chain mail or scale armor with long vertical slits extending up from the bottom edge to allow horseback riding, often augmented by a mail coif that went over the head.
    (b) Both sides carried wooden shields with a metal boss and rim that were either circular or round on top, then tapered to a point at the bottom, a design especially handy for cavalry use.
    (c) Both sides favored straight, long, double-edged swords designed for slashing attacks. Javelins and thrusting spears were also popular weapons.
    (d) In the Bayeux Tapestry, men of both sides are shown wearing conical helmets, usually augmented with a nasal bar extending down from the helmet rim, although this style of helmet is more often associated with the Normans.
  • (2) Although the size of the Norman army is uncertain, the best guess is that there were about 2,000 horsemen, 4,000 infantry, and 1,500 archers and crossbowmen.
  • (3) A weapon popular among Anglo-Saxon warriors was the axe. It came in two varieties: a small, hatchet-like design that was thrown, and a larger, heavy axe with an asymmetrical head whose bottom edge was longer than the top, used with two hands.
  • (4) Harold’s force is estimated to have been slightly larger than William’s and to have been composed of roughly one-third semi-professional warriors and two-thirds fyrdmen.

The Battle

  • (1) On October 14, 1066, William moved out with his men, heading inland, where he knew he would find Harold’s army. Soon the enemy had been sighted, and William deployed his men for battle.
  • (2) The topography of the battlefield favored the English: the top of a hill about 700 meters long whose sides were protected by gullies, ensuring that the English line could not be outflanked.
  • (3) Harold placed his most heavily armored men in front, forming a solid shield wall backed up by the lesser warriors and fyrdmen. This formation, thought to have been perhaps 10 men deep, stretched along the entire length of the ridge. Harold himself took up a position in the center, just to the rear of the phalanx.
  • (4) The Normans deployed on the low ground within about 200 meters of the English shield wall. In front was a thin screen of archers and crossbowmen, then a block of infantry, and the cavalry in the rear. William, like Harold, placed himself in the center, just behind the main lines.
  • (5) William commanded his crossbowmen to open fire on the English, but the Normans were firing disadvantageously uphill, and the English front row would merely have raised their shields until the barrage was over.
  • (6) William next ordered a general advance, and his line attacked the English shield wall. There was bitter close combat all along the line, with the English hacking with swords and axes while the Normans struggled to find or break a gap in the line of shields.
  • (7) Having been ordered to support the infantry, the Norman horsemen could not gain much momentum, but their role was to exploit holes in the enemy formation made by their infantry. Despite this new influx of forces, the English shield wall held firm against all attempts to penetrate it.
  • (8) The Norman left began to retreat down the slope. Some of the English fyrdmen, believing the enemy was routed, surged forward in pursuit. This was dangerous, exposing the center to a potential flank attack; thus, the Normans in the center also began to back down the hill. Even worse, at that moment, a rumor flashed through the ranks that William had been killed.
  • (9) Here was the crisis point of the battle: William’s army was now on the verge of complete panic and flight. In response, he acted quickly and decisively.
    (a) William either removed his helmet or pushed it back so that his face was clearly visible, and his men could see that he still lived.
    (b) William’s half-brother rode forward to rally the fleeing troops and perhaps bring reinforcements to the crumbling left flank.
    (c) William himself gathered a group of his knights and charged with them into the mob of advancing Englishmen.
  • (10) The counterattack was effective, and the English troops were cut off and slaughtered. William ordered his troops back up the hill, and the close-range fighting resumed. His cavalry also returned, adopting a new strategy of charging and pretending to retreat in the hope of drawing the English out of their organized formation on the ridge.
  • (11) The ranks of the English were beginning to thin, with many of the more experienced and better armed soldiers having been killed or wounded and their places in the front rank taken by the less well-equipped militia and fyrdmen. William began one more major effort with a barrage of arrows and another general charge up the hill.
  • (12) This time, the arrows had a more deadly effect on the now inferior English troops, and one arrow apparently struck Harold in the face or eye. Accounts differ as to whether this wound was immediately fatal, but he dropped to the ground.
  • (13) Meanwhile, William’s men advanced around the edges of the depleted English line so that English were fighting on three sides. Both of Harlod’s brothers were slain, and he was finished off by slashing blades. With their deaths, the line finally shattered, and the Normans crested the hill and slaughtered the remnants.

Outcomes

  • (1) On Christmas Day, William was crowned in Westminster Cathedral, officially becoming king of England. Ironically, Harlod’s earlier victory at Stamford Bridge solidified William’s position by both eliminating the Viking threat and winnowing the ranks of those who might have opposed him.
  • (2) The Norman Conquest blended Anglo-Saxon and Norman culture and reoriented England from Scandinavia to the European mainland.
  • (3) In particular, it strengthened the ties between England and France and ensured that England would be embroiled in continental affairs.
  • (4) It could even be argued that the Battle of Hastings marked the beginning of England’s rise in world affairs, culminating in the 19th-century British Empire.

Conclusion

The Battle of Hastings, fought on October 14, 1066, was a pivotal moment in English history. The Norman victory, led by William the Conqueror, resulted in the fall of Anglo-Saxon rule and the beginning of Norman rule in England. This battle not only led to significant political and cultural changes but also laid the foundation for the modern British state. The introduction of Norman laws, language, and governance structures had a lasting impact, shaping the development of England for centuries to come. The battle marked the end of the Viking Age and the beginning of a new era in English history.

FAQ about The Battle of Hastings?

1. What led to the Battle of Hastings?

The battle was fought because of a dispute over the English throne. When King Edward the Confessor died in January 1066 without an heir, several claimants vied for the crown. Harold Godwinson was crowned King Harold II, but William, Duke of Normandy, claimed that Edward had promised him the throne. This led to William invading England to enforce his claim.

2. Who were the main leaders?

The main leaders were William, Duke of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror), and Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.

3. What was the main strategy used by the Normans?

The Normans used a combination of cavalry, infantry, and archers. A key tactic was the feigned retreat, where Norman forces pretended to flee, drawing the Anglo-Saxons out of their defensive positions, then turning back to attack.

4. Why was the Battle of Hastings significant?

The Battle of Hastings was significant because it marked the beginning of Norman rule in England. William the Conqueror’s victory had a profound impact on English culture, language, and governance, leading to significant changes in the country’s history.

5. How did King Harold II die?

King Harold II is traditionally said to have died from an arrow to the eye, as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, although this account is debated by historians. Some sources suggest he was killed by Norman knights after being wounded.

6. What were the immediate consequences of the battle?

After the battle, William moved to secure his claim by advancing on London. He was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066, and over the next few years, he consolidated his control, leading to significant changes in English law, land ownership, and social structures.

7. What is the Bayeux Tapestry?

The Bayeux Tapestry is a famous embroidered cloth that visually depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England, including the Battle of Hastings. It’s a crucial primary source for understanding the battle and the Norman perspective.

Leave a Comment