why did william win the battle of hastings essay conclusion

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How did William the Conqueror and the Normans win at the Battle of Hastings in 1066

The Battle of Hastings (1066) is perhaps the most famous in Medieval Britain, if not Europe. This bloody day changed British history and had a profound impact on the development of the modern world. It led not only to a change of dynasty in England but also indirectly to the development of the English language, law, and political institutions, which have had an immense impact far beyond the British Isles.

The battle followed in the wake of the Normans, landing on the southern coast of England. After defeating a Viking invasion at Stamford Bridge in the north of England, King Harold II headed south to meet the invaders. The two sides met at Hastings in Sussex on the 16th of October 1066. The battle lasted all day and only ended with the death of Harold II. At Hastings, the Normans routed the Anglo-Saxons, and this allowed them to conquer and occupy England. The Battle of 1066 is so famous that many think they know what happened. This is not the case, and there are many myths about the battle that many people accept as historical facts.

In reality, the surviving accounts of the Battle of Hastings are all suspect. They were either written by Anglo-Saxon writers who hated the Normans as foreign overlords, or they were authored by Normans who had an interest in misrepresenting events. This article will disentangle fact from fiction and truth from myth about the Battle of Hastings.

Why did the Normans Invade Britain?

The background to Hastings was the death of Edward the Confessor, king of England from 1042-1066. He died without an heir, and this, as usual in the Middle Ages, led to a succession crisis. [1] There were two main contenders for the crown of England; Harold Godwinson, a member of one of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon families and Duke William of Normandy, the future William the Conqueror.

William and his Normans were the descendants of Norse Vikings who had been given land in northern France and were largely independent of the French King. The Anglo-Saxon had been the brother-in-law of Edmund the Confessor. It is widely reported from sources that the dying king made Harold his heir and left his widow and Kingdom in his care. However, there is a different Norman account, and it holds that Edward the Confessor during a period of exile made Duke William his heir if he died without an heir. Historians have long debated which claim was the strongest, and most believe that Harold was the legal heir of Edward the Successor.

The story that Duke William was the legitimate successor of Edward is unlikely and was Norman propaganda. Even if Edward had made him his heir, he had almost certainly changed his mind before his death. Indeed, Harold had even been legitimately elected by the Witan, the assembly of the Anglo-Saxons, and they viewed him as their rightful ruler. King Harold II was defending his realm at the battle, and William the Conqueror was an invader who had no real support in the wider country. The Battle of Hastings was the result of William's naked ambitions. [2]

Why were the Anglo-Saxons defeated at the Battle of Hastings?

The Anglo-Saxons were forced to march south at speed in the wake of their victory over the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada and his Anglo-Saxon allies at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. This was a bloody clash, and the forces of Harold suffered numerous casualties even though he decisively defeated the Viking army. The victors at Stamford Bridge then had to make a forced march from the north of England to the south coast, and it is widely argued that this was a contributory factor in the Anglo-Saxon defeat.

However, not all historians agree with this, and they point out that the army of Harold fought very well during the battle. Indeed, even in the Norman accounts, the Anglo-Saxons are fighting fiercely, from early morning until the evening. Based on the distance between the two battles, it would seem that the Anglo-Saxon army marched 27 miles (39 km) a day but that they had a day’s rest before the fight. [3] Indeed, Harold was able to seize the high ground and establish a strong defensive position on the battlefield. It is not correct to state that the Anglo-Saxons were tired after their forced march and earlier battle and that this led to their defeat at the hands of the Normans.

What happened at the Battle of Hastings?

The heavy infantry of the English was famous, and they carried long spears and shields. Harold’s Anglo-Saxons used their traditional battle tactic of a shield-wall. They would stand side-by-side, and their interlocking shields would form a solid wall. The shield-wall was very difficult to break down, and it was a tactic used very successfully by Alfred the Great against the Vikings. The infantry of Harold II set up a shield-wall on a hill, and broken ground, and they were in a powerful position. This is agreed to have been the right decision.

The Normans had to inflict a defeat on the English as they were in enemy territory and had only a limited supply. [4] This meant that William the Conqueror’s army was forced to go on the offensive, and it was essential that he broke the massed ranks of the heavy infantry of Harold. The Normans knew that if they broke the formation of the Anglo-Saxons that they would be victorious. From the early morning of the 18th of October, William attacked the Anglo-Saxon shield wall. They had numerical superiority in cavalry, and the Norman knights were among the finest in Europe. They still failed to break the shield-wall. Then William ordered his archers to unleash volleys of arrows at the enemy’s line. They were mostly Bretons and acknowledged to be great archers, but they could not break the English lines.

Norman and some Anglo-Saxon sources claim that the decisive moment in the battle was the Normans invaders' feigned retreat. William ordered his men to retreat, and this tempted the Anglo-Saxons to break their defensive formation and go on the offensive. [5] They left the high ground and the shield-wall was no longer intact. The Normans wheeled round and engaged the onrushing English, who were very exposed. The cavalry of William was able to inflict terrible casualties on the army of Harold II, and this maneuver turned the battle decisively in favor of the Normans. [6]

Did the death of Harold changed the tide of battle?

In many modern accounts, the Battle of Hastings was closely fought, and as long as the Anglo-Saxons shield-wall held, they were able to repel the Normans. It is widely reported that the death of Harold changed the tide of battle. Until his death, the battle was headed to a bloody stalemate. The sudden death of the king of England changed the course of the clash and probably altered English and global history.

However, while it is known for certain that Harold was killed during the battle, his death did not doom the Anglo-Saxons to defeat. [7] The last Anglo-Saxon king was killed after the tide of battle had shifted decisively in favor of the invaders from France. The feigned retreat ordered by William had worked brilliantly, and his counterattack had effectively won the day. One of the greatest myths about the battle was that Harold’s death doomed the Anglo-Saxons to defeat and to their eventual domination by the Normans.

How did Harold die at the Battle?

One of the apparently undisputed facts about the battle was that King Harold II was killed after an arrow in the eye struck him. This is based on one account and a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry. This tapestry is a 70-foot-long (200 meters) work of embroidery that depicts the Battle of Hastings. It was created in the 1070s and is one of the most significant accounts for the events of 1066. It shows a man being hit by an arrow to the eye, which is widely believed to have been a visualization of the death of the last Anglo-Saxon king. However, there are different accounts of Harold's death, but they all agree that he died in battle. [8]

In one Norman chronicle, the Anglo-Saxon monarch was slain as he ran away, but this was probably an invention to discredit the memory of a man still revered by many people in England for decades after 1066. There is another account of Harold’s death that states he was hit by several arrows, and as he lay wounded, he was hacked to pieces by some foot soldiers. How Harold died on that fateful day in October 1066 will never be fully established, and even the burial place of the last Anglo-Saxon king has not been identified. [9]

Did the Anglo-Saxons continue to fight the Normans after the Battle of Hastings?

In most historical accounts, the Battle of Hastings is so decisive that it ended all resistance against the Norman invaders and the Normans were able to impose their will on England. The reality is more complicated. While the Battle was decisive, resistance to the invaders remained. While the English nobles had submitted to William before his coronation as King in Westminster Abbey in 1066, Norman control was somewhat challenged. The Harold's repeatedly raided the coast of England from Ireland, and there were sporadic revolts against William I.

In 1069 the Danes landed in northern England to support a rebellion by the Northern Anglo-Saxon Earls. The Norman king was forced to pay the Danes to leave England. When the rebels refused to do battle, William the Conqueror launched a scorched earth policy, which caused a famine. This came to be known as the Harrying of the North, and some modern writers claim that it was tantamount to an act of genocide against the local population. The facts do not bear out the myth that the Battle of Hastings was the conquest's end. [10] Indeed, it was only in 1070 with the complete suppression of the Northern Earls.

There are many myths around the Battle of Hastings. Instead of being a contest for the English crown, it was an illegitimate bid for power by William, who had a weak claim to the English throne. Next, Harold's army did not lose the battle because of a forced march, nor did Harold's death turn the tide of war because he died after the Normans had taken advantage. William's feigned retreat was brilliant, which led to a decisive victory. Finally, William’s victory in 1066 did not resistance to the Norman invaders. English rebels fought for another four years before William consolidated control over England.

Further Reading

Palliser, D. M. (1993). Domesday Book and the ‘Harrying of the North.' Northern History, 29(1), 1-23.

Brown, R. Allen. The Normans and the Norman conquest (Leeds, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 1985).

Chibnall, Marjorie. The debate on the Norman Conquest (Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1999).

Bradbury, Jim. Battle of Hastings. (London, The History Press, 2010).

• ↑ Lawson, M. K. The Battle of Hastings: 1066 (Stroud, UK: Tempus, 2002), p 12
• ↑ Marren, Peter. 1066: The Battles of York, Stamford Bridge & Hastings. Battleground Britain. (Barnsley, UK: Leo Cooper, 2007), p. 113
• ↑ Marren, p 201
• ↑ Morillo, Stephen. "Hastings: an unusual battle." In Medieval Warfare 1000–1300, (London, Routledge, 2017) pp. 313-321
• ↑ Bachrach, Bernard S. "The feigned retreat at Hastings." Mediaeval Studies 33 (1971): 344-347
• ↑ Morillo, p 318
• ↑ Marren, p 119
• ↑ Marren, p 118
• ↑ Rex, Peter. Harold II: The Doomed Saxon King (Stroud, UK: Tempus, 2005), p 119
• ↑ Lawson, p 118
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Battle of Hastings

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 10, 2022 | Original: November 9, 2009

At the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, King Harold II of England was defeated by the invading Norman forces of William the Conqueror. By the end of the bloody, all-day battle, Harold was dead and his forces were destroyed. Harold was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, and the battle changed the course of history and established the French-speaking Normans as the new rulers of England, which in turn brought about a significant cultural, economic and military transformation, and helped to create the modern English language.

William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror was the son of Robert I, duke of Normandy in northern France, and his mistress Herleva (also called Arlette), a tanner’s daughter from Falaise. The duke, who had no other sons, designated William his heir, and with his death in 1035 William became duke of Normandy.

Did you know? William, an Old French name composed of Germanic elements (“wil,” meaning desire, and “helm,” meaning protection), was introduced to England by William the Conqueror and quickly became extremely popular. By the 13th century, it was the most common given name among English men.

William was of Viking origin. He spoke a dialect of French and grew up in Normandy, a fiefdom loyal to the French kingdom, but he and other Normans descended from Scandinavian invaders. One of William’s relatives, Rollo, pillaged northern France with Viking raiders in the late ninth and early 10th centuries, eventually accepting his own territory (Normandy, named for the Norsemen who controlled it) in exchange for peace.

King Harold II

Just over two weeks before the Battle of Hastings in October 1066, William had invaded England, claiming his right to the English throne. In 1051, William is believed to have visited England and met with his cousin Edward the Confessor , the childless English king. According to Norman historians, Edward promised to make William his heir.

On his deathbed, however, Edward granted the kingdom to Harold Godwinson , head of the leading noble family in England and more powerful than the king himself. In January 1066, King Edward died, and Harold Godwinson was proclaimed King Harold II. William immediately disputed his claim.

October 14, 1066

On September 28, 1066, William landed in England at Pevensey, on Britain’s southeast coast, with thousands of foot soldiers, horses and cavalrymen. Seizing Pevensey, he then marched to Hastings, where he paused to organize his forces and, according to some accounts, built a fortress or castle.

On October 13, Harold arrived near Hastings with his army. The next day, October 14, William led his forces out to battle before Harold’s troops had a chance to organize.

The one-day Battle of Hastings ended in a decisive victory against Harold’s men. Harold was killed—shot in the eye with an arrow, according to legend—his brothers Leofwine and Gyrth were also killed, and his English forces were scattered.

Legacy of the Battle of Hastings

After his victory at the Battle of Hastings, William marched on London and received the city’s submission. On Christmas Day of 1066, he was crowned the first Norman king of England in Westminster Abbey , and the Anglo-Saxon phase of English history came to an end.

Illiterate like most nobles of his time, William spoke no English when he ascended the throne and failed to master it. Thanks to the Norman invasion, French was spoken in England’s courts for centuries and completely transformed the English language, infusing it with new words and giving birth to modern English.

William I proved an effective king of England, and the Domesday Book , a great census of the lands and people of England, was among his notable achievements. Upon the death of William I in 1087, his son, William Rufus, became William II, the second Norman king of England.

Bayeux Tapestry

The story of the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of England is told through the Bayeux Tapestry, a 230-foot-long masterpiece of medieval artistry. Probably commissioned by Bishop Odo, William the Conqueror’s half-brother, the tapestry consists of 58 detailed panels of woolen yarn embroidered on linen.

The Bayeux Tapestry was made in England sometime in the 11th century, making it a fairly contemporary record of the Battle of Hastings and other events of the Norman Conquest. Today it hangs in the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Bayeux, France.

The Battle of Hastings: fact and fiction. British Library . The Bayeux Tapestry. Bayeux Museum . The Battle of Hastings. Historic UK . 

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

• Battle of Hastings

How William the Conqueror Won the Battle of Hastings

Laura Mackenzie

05 jun 2018.

William the Conqueror was a Norman duke  when he won the Battle of Hastings  on 14 October 1066 — a victory that would ultimately lead to him taking the English crown.

Although William’s army won the battle decisively, it was hard-fought on both sides and unusually long by medieval standards . Both William and his opponent, Harold II, King of England, had everything to lose and their forces were well matched.

Indeed, it wasn’t until dusk, once Harold had been killed, that victory for one side was certain. And that side, of course, was William’s. So how exactly did he do it?

The Normans’ advantage

On the day of the battle Harold held the higher ground, supposedly arranging his forces in a line of defence that stretched for nearly half a mile along a ridge. This line was protected by a so-called “shield wall”, literally a wall of shields held by soldiers standing in tight formation that was difficult to break.

But William’s invading force already had an advantage.

The Normans had arrived in Sussex — the southern English county in which the battle took place — on 29 September. This meant they had over two weeks to prepare for the confrontation with Harold and his men.

Harold, on the other hand, was in the north of England at the time of the Normans’ arrival, having just won a hard-fought battle against another rival claimant to the English throne, the Viking Harald Hardrada.

This recently won victory may have provided Harold and his men with some king of morale boost but it also meant they were battle-weary and exhausted. Meanwhile, William and his forces were busy provoking the English king from Sussex, attacking local villages as if to say, “Come and get us”.

Harold’s folly?

Harold was reportedly encouraged not to take on William himself but he ignored such warnings, rushing the core of his army back down south.

The king stopped briefly in London to pick up more men though some sources say that by the day of the battle Harold hadn’t yet gathered his full force. Either way, it is currently thought that both sides fielded large armies of between 5,000 and 7,000.

On the night of 13 October, Harold arrived in Wealden Forest, a few miles outside of Hastings, ready to surprise the Normans the following day. But it seems that William managed to outmanoeuvre him, moving his forces to ensure that they were ready to take on the English army when morning rolled around.

Throughout the long day of battle on 14 October, both sides suffered heavy casualties. And both fell victim to trick tactics and rumours that were going around the battlefield.

At one point some of William’s men started to flee, believing that the duke had been killed. William reportedly rode out in front of them, however, raising his helmet to show his face and that he was indeed alive, while a Norman counter-charge destroyed pursuing English troops.

At least twice, the Normans also apparently pretended to flee to encourage the English to break ranks from the defence line. As the day went on, the line became shorter as English soldiers were drawn out — though as light faded there was still a line holding.

The tipping point

Accounts differ as to how Harold died.

At this point it still seemed as though the battle could go either way, however. If the English could just hold on until dark then it is thought they would have been joined by reinforcements the following day — something that the Normans did not have coming. But if the Normans could just break the English defensive line before nightfall then the battle would likely be theirs.

The turning point came when the Normans made a final assault on the English line. By this point, it is thought that two of Harold’s brothers and other English commanders were already dead. And then, suddenly, Harold had been killed too.

Accounts differ as to how he died. But from taking an arrow to the eye to being hacked to pieces, all are grisly.

After that, the English were left without a leader and eventually fled.

And that is how William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings.

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Exemplar essay analysis: why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Why did William win the Battle of Hastings

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Djalma Bina

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This is an updated pdf edition of the second edition of my book on the battle of Hastings published in 2003 and now out of print. It is regarded, at least by some, as the definitive academic treatment of the battle.

1066 in Perspective, ed. David Bates

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Ed. and introduction. Boydell and Brewer, 1996. The file is the Introduction, which discusses Hastings within the concept of "decisive battles" and then outlines primary and secondary sources included in the book and narrates the main stages of the battle with a set of author-created maps.

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The Battle of Hastings

Part of History The Norman Conquest

• Harold Godwinson had defeated Harold Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066. For more on the claimants to the throne in 1066, read this guide .
• Three days later, William of Normandy invaded England, seeking to claim the throne.
• William and Harold fought at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October.
• William was victorious and was crowned King of England on Christmas Day, 1066.

Video about the Battle of Hastings

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Narrator: At dawn on the morning of 14th October 1066, William, his papal banner raised, and wearing the very relics round his neck which he claimed Harold had sworn on, marched his army just over 10 kilometres to confront Harold. The details of exactly what was to follow, and where it took place, vary considerably. But we do know that at about 9am, the battle for the English Crown began. The English were assembled on the crest of a small hill, flanked by two streams with woods behind, to make it difficult to retreat. Here they created a strong shield wall with Harold at the centre. The Normans were drawn up in three lines below.

The English and the Normans’ armour was very similar. Both sides wore conical-shaped iron helmets with a nasal, a metal strip which covered the nose to protect part of the face. Men of rank also wore the mail coat made of iron rings. It offered both protection and manoeuvrability, but was heavy.

But while the English had the Dane axe and used a defensive shield wall tactic, the Normans had 2,000 cavalry, which English battlefields had not witnessed before on this scale. They also had a huge line of archers. Some of these apparently used crossbows. Unknown to the English, these powerful mechanical weapons required less strength and training than the ordinary bow and arrow.

The Norman archers attacked first, but the distance was great, and their arrows mostly rebounded or flew above the Anglo-Saxons’ heads. It was then the turn of the mounted Norman knights, but the horses found it almost impossible to charge up the steep slope. Eventually the English shield wall pushed forwards. This forced the Normans back down the hill, and a rumour began to spread that William had been killed. But the story goes that William lifted up his helmet, and called out that he was alive, and with God’s help would win!

Then he decided to try an old Norman tactic, the feigned retreat. The Normans could not win the battle unless they broke the English line, which was packed so tightly it was said the dead were unable to fall. But if groups of cavalry pretended to flee, the English would believe they had won and chase after them. The cavalry could then quickly swing round, charge back and encircle the English pursuers, breaking the English shield wall.

The wall began to weaken. And as dusk drew in, William ordered his archers to attack once more. The English wall opened, and Harold was finally killed. The Bayeux Tapestry illustrates him being shot in the eye or cut down, but no one knows if this is what really happened.

The Normans had won. The last Anglo-Saxon king of England was dead, William had become the Conqueror and now he set off to London to claim the English throne.

Background to the Battle of Hastings

Following the death of Edward the Confessor, William, the Duke of Normandy, was angry when Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England in January 1066.

William planned to Invade in August, but poor weather conditions meant he had to wait until September. He carried with him the papal banner close papal banner A flag that represents the Pope, the head of the Catholic church. , meaning he had the support of the Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church.

William landed on the south coast of England with his army while Harold Godwinson was on his way back from the north, where he had defeated Harald Hardrada’s invasion at Stamford Bridge. William and his army headed to Hastings via London, collecting extra troops on the way. In contrast to Harold Godwinson’s army, William and his men were well-rested and prepared for battle. The two sides lined up against each other at Senlac Hill, seven miles outside of Hastings, on 14 October 1066.

Claimants to the throne activity

Learn more about the claimants to the throne in 1066 with this activity.

Who fought in the Battle of Hastings?

The two sides:

Who do you think had the stronger army? Harold or William?

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William had the stronger army. His men were well-rested, better trained, and generally had more experience in battle. He also had a wider range of soldiers available, with archers and cavalry.

What happened at the Battle of Hastings?

The events of the battle

• The Battle of Hastings began at 9am on 14 October 1066. Harold’s army was lined up at the top of Senlac Hill, forming a shield wall facing down against William’s army. At the start of the battle, William’s archers fired their arrows up towards Harold’s army but were struggling to break through the shield wall.
• William’s cavalry then tried to charge up the hill, but they also could not break past the defensive line and were beaten back by Harold’s men.
• A rumour spread through the Norman army that William had been killed, but he lifted his helmet and rode past his troops to show them he was still alive.
• Harold’s position was looking strong, but William ordered his soldiers to advance part way up the hill and then pretend to retreat. This was hugely effective. Harold’s army lost their discipline and started charging down the hill, losing their strong defensive position. William’s cavalry were able to get amongst the English army and cause huge damage, as Harold’s army had lost the protection of the shield wall and their defensive position at the top of the hill.
• There is some uncertainty as to how Harold Godwinson died. The Bayeux Tapestry close Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth showing the events before, during, and after the Battle of Hastings. It shows William as the rightful heir. Historians need to be aware that it was produced by the Normans when using it as a source of evidence. has the words 'Harold is killed' next to a man with an arrow in his eye, but it is impossible to know which soldier is Harold because all of the English soldiers are dressed identically.
• Harold’s remaining soldiers lost motivation when news of his death spread across the battlefield. Some fled, and the ones who stayed to fight were left with little hope.

Activity - Put these events into the correct order

Why did william win.

• Tiredness : Harold’s army had to march north to fight Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge, before turning back to march to the south to face William at Hastings. Many of the English army had been killed and the those who were left would have been extremely tired.
• Tactics : William’s army pretended to retreat, tempting Harold’s army into losing their strong defensive position to run after them. William’s army was then able to turn round and attack Harold’s weakened position.
• Army strength : William had a greater range of soldiers for the battle. As well as foot soldiers, he had a cavalry and more skilled archers. This gave his side a big advantage in the range of tactics and attacks they could carry out.
• Leadership : William was on horseback and had an overview of the whole battlefield. When a rumour went round his army that he had been killed, he lifted his helmet to show them he was still alive. In contrast, Harold was on foot and was unable to stop his army losing their discipline and chasing down Senlac Hill after William’s retreating soldiers.

Could Harold have done anything differently to win?

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Some historians have argued that Harold could have waited longer before advancing to Hastings to fight William. This would have given his tired army longer to rest and also gather more soldiers.

A key turning point in the battle itself was when the fyrd started chasing William’s army down the hill. If they had maintained their strong position at the stop of Senlac Hill, along with the strong shield wall, it is possible the battle could have turned out differently.

What happened after the Battle of Hastings?

Winning the Battle of Hastings was only the beginning of the Norman Conquest. It was a turbulent time for England, with three kings in one year. After William won the Battle of Hastings, his army had to capture and subdue towns across the southeast. The Normans were not welcomed with open arms, suggesting that many English people were not happy about the change in leadership.

William seized Dover and Winchester, before advancing to London. He was crowned on Christmas Day, becoming England’s third king in 1066. He went on to make many changes to secure his control of England . Many of these changes had long lasting effects, for example land ownership, the building of castles, and the introduction of some Norman laws.

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Exemplar essay analysis: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?

A really useful introduction to essay writing for key stage 3 students in the context of the Norman Conquest. An example essay (on ‘Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?’) is provided, and students are tasked with marking it. Using the hamburger analogy, they look for successful topic sentences, 'meaty' fillings and good concluding explanations. They also have the opportunity to identify weaker points and improve them.

Extract from the essay

The Battle of Hastings took place in 1066 because King Edward had died leaving the English throne without an heir. Harold Godwinson seized the throne but he had two rivals, Harald Hardrada and William of Normandy. William eventually won the battle and the throne of England, and this piece of writing explains why.

One reason that William won was because he was better prepared for the battle than Harold. He had over two weeks to get ready after landing in Pevensey Bay. His men were well fed and rested. Harold, on the other hand, had just fought Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge and had to march back down south to fight William. Some of his army had been killed, others were injured, and they were all tired from the long march.

Another major reason that William won the battle was because his army was better than Harold’s. Lots of Harold’s men were just farmers, but all the Norman soldiers had good weapons. This meant that William was in a strong position at the start of the battle.

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Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?

Elizabeth Bloxham                                                                                        25/02/2008

Why did William win the battle of Hastings?

In 1066 king Edward the confessor died without  any children to inherit the throne of england, this meant that Harold Godwinson was crowned as king despite supposidly  promising an oath to william that he would be the next king . However harold faced his position being jeportised  because two other determined young men also wanted to be King. These men were Harald Hadrarda and William of Normandy. England was one of the welthiest and most powerfull countrys in the world and all 3 of these men were prepared to do whatever it took to gain the crown.

 The only way to decide who was going to be king was to engage in battle .Harold and william both prepared there forces. First Harald hardra from norway invaided england with his viking fleet and fought against harold godwinson at stanford bridge .After the Battle of Stamford Bridge (In which Harald had died,) Harold had news that william had finally invaided and went down to hastings to prepare to fight William, but this was going to be tough, both men were desperate to be next King and there could only be one winner.

In my opinion the main reason to why william won was pinned on luck, Harold eagarly expecting this to happen and he and his army waited on the beach strong and prepared for the norman invaison. William was planning to arrive on the beach and if this had happened Harold would have slaughtered him. Fortunately for William, the sea was too choppy to sail across the channel and so William's army were waiting in Normandy for the weather to improve before crossing. Luckily for william Hadrada invaided up north and therefore Harold went up north. Harold then fought a battle leaving his army in a much weaker position than before.

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A major reason to why harold lost was due to his army was exhausted and weakened in numbers. The battle of stanford bridge was a gruesome one with the norsemen refusing to surrender untill the next day were Hardras son Olav agreed to give himself up and never return to england. The arm then rested, some sources claim that harold had an argument with his army claiming that ahrold had not shared the trophies of battle out fairly,prehaps he had insisted on keeping the viking fleet which would have been a tremendous national asset. A weekafter the battle the norsemen were gone and celebratiosn began meanwhile news was travelling that william had landed on Pevensey.

Harold immediately assembled the housecarls who had survived  and marched south. He travelled at such a pace that many of his troops failed to keep up with him (weakening his army).  The Anglo saxon army travlled 250 miles to hastings from the 5 th  to the 13 th  of october .Wjen arriving in london Harold's brother, , offered to lead the army against William, stating  that as king he should not risk the chance of being killed. Harold rejected the advice and after five days Harold decided to head for the south coast without his northern troops. This was a big mistake of Harold as he should have taken his brothers advice instead of being killed in the battlefield and by not doing so has lost osme northern troops. The army must have been weary encouraged by the strong vicotry at stanfod bridge and gain in arms however the army was cut they were also more drained.

 Another important reason to why william down in size and a lot weaker than they previously were. In my opion this is the main reason  to why Harold lost. His men was majorly cut down in size and being that his army was prodmitatly made up of fryds so there loyalty was doubting.Also they were celebrating there success of winning the battle by getting merry. So aswell as bein exhausted won the battle was due to his tactics and skillfull fighters. It is estimated that that William had 5,000 infantry and 3,000  while Harold had about 2, 500  and over 6,000 members of the  . So prodimataley harolds army were inexperienced fighters whereas willaims were a trained army.The norman army fought on caverlry and had highly skilled archers, whereas the anglo saxon army was made from mainly local men (fyrds) and bretons which were a loyal  professional army. Harodls army was not as strong as williams thus why eh lsot the battle. The leaders of the fyrd, (the thegns) were strong and had  and  but the rest of the men were inexperienced fighters and many were simple thugs there unadvanced weapons such as iron-studded clubs, scythes, slings, reaping-hooks and hay-forks were no where near as advanced as willaims calvery and accuriate archers.

Also Harolds army failed to keep up with modern armies like that of . While William's knights walked to the battle leading their horses, in order to keep their mounts fresh, the Huscarls did the opposite, riding to the battle, and later dismounting to fight on foot giving them a major disadvantage on the battle field.

the English shield wall grew smaller and smaller, many of the fyrdmen in the back ranks clustered closer together behind the thinning wall of housecarls weaking the defence.

The idea that William was a better leader is a mild reason to why William won the battle. Before 1066 William had already demonstrated his strength as a commander and soldier. His life was one of almost constant warfare as he carved out for himself a position as one of the most powerful and, when necessary, ruthless rulers of his day. He had experienence in leadership for example In 1053 he suppressed a revolt led by William of Arques. Whereas some sources claim (however reliability is not certain) that at stamford bridge Harold fell out with his army over a disagreement over distribution over gains. This shows Harold lack of communication with his forces which is a contrast against the strong communication and organisation of willaims.

However in my opion the least imortant reaosn to why william won yet still important is the fact that william supposidly had god on his side. William also had better leadership skills than harold. Religion was extremely important in the 1066 in both  norman and anglo saxon culture. William could not just demand support from his nobles, he had to convince them of his case. He needed to show his followers that his claim was a lawful one, and that he had God on his side. So when he decided on invasion, he took elaborate measures to ensure he had strong support, and even sent an envoy to the Pope asking for his blessing, the pope supported willaims claim , this was a major advantage to willaim as the fighters would have belived that they could win the battle if god was on there side. Also they would have been more likely to fight harder and risk there lives if it meant fighting for god it meant a door open to heaven. During the battle flags with crosses and religious symbols were held. This made the battle look more like a crusade rather than a war. The thought of dying for god grew loyalty with Williams men which reflected in the outcome of the battle.

Overall there are many reaons to why William won the battle of Hastings. The Luk and timing is in my opinion the most important reason as without this William would have arrived at Hastings with a saon waiting army and darnet of stood a chance. So without Stamford bridge and the change of weather in that week I would have been surprised if Williams men would have made it past pevansey.

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• Word Count 1306
• Page Count 2
• Level AS and A Level
• Subject History

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