Image: Myrabella. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bayeux-Tapestry) In light of recent news that the Bayeux Tapestry will be taking a tour around the UK in the near future, I thought it would be worth looking at the year 1066, and more specifically the Battle of Hastings. There are a host of reasons why we should all pay our respects to this epic battle in history and the events which followed. Even if you aren't English (or Norman), if you live in any of the world's English-speaking countries today, the Battle of Hastings had huge repercussions for our ancestors. William's conquest of England would drastically influence how England, and the English people, would develop as a nation. Some would even argue that without the Norman Conquest, England would not have evolved into an imperial power. So for those who may be unfamiliar with 1066, what was the Norman Conquest? What did the Battle of Hastings have to do with it? Well, in AD 1066, Harold Godwinson sat on the throne of England, but in the coming months he would be forced to contest his throne with both King Harald Hardrada of Norway and William, Duke of Normandy. Two foreigners pining for the English crown would mean Harold would have to defend his right to rule--first at the Battle of Stamford Bridge (where he would do battle with King Harald of Norway and his own brother Tostig Godwinson), and finally at the Battle of Hastings. The Battle of Hastings was precipitated by King Edward the Confessor’s death. King Edward had reigned in England for twenty-four years when he died on 5 January, 1066. Harold, Earl of Wessex was proclaimed king the same day and was crowned at Westminster Abbey the day after Edward’s death. It was apparent that Edward on his death-bed had nominated Harold as his successor and to the council of magnates too, Harold seemed an astute choice to replace Edward as the English monarch—he was in fact so powerful, that he was even referred to as an “under-king” during Edward’s reign. The trouble with Harold’s succession however was that more than one powerful noble felt entitled to the English throne. As a child Edward the Confessor had spent time in Normandy, and his connections with the place put him on friendly terms with William. This was especially the case after King Harold’s father, the Earl Godwin revolted against Edward in 1051. Edward expelled the family from the kingdom and subsequently proclaimed William his heir. However, the Godwin family regained their status in England the following year through force, and as such, Edward’s Norman allies were ousted from England (including the Norman archbishop of Canterbury, who was replaced by the Saxon bishop Stigand). After his father’s death, Harold became Earl of Wessex and increasingly powerful, but his family's precarious position with the monarch meant he was not guaranteed the throne. In 1064 Edward sent Harold to Normandy on his behalf. Unfortunately for Harold though, his ship fell off course, and he was captured and detained by a local count along the French coast. It was William of Normandy who requested that Harold be released, and it is accounted that afterwards Harold Godwinson swore to support William’s succession to the English throne. (It is unknown under which circumstances such an oath was taken, only that it is testified of in two accounts). In spite of this, two years later, when King Edward died, Harold readily accepted the English crown. Understandably, William was not pleased with this news, and upon being convinced that a takeover of England might be possible, the Duke of Normandy began planning his invasion of the Anglo-Saxon island. William even sent representatives to Pope Alexander II, who backed William's claim to the English crown in hopes that he could bring the autonomous English church back in line with Rome. It was not long before an incursive force was amassed at the mouth of the River Dives in France and the Duke was ready to make his move. Meanwhile, King Harold II was occupied in the north of England with King Harald Hardrada of Norway. Invited by Harold's brother Tostig, Hardrada attempted to claim England for himself, but was bested by Harold Godwinson at the famous Battle of Stamford Bridge, in which both Harold's brother and the Norwegian king were slain. It is important to note here that the Battle of Stamford Bridge took place on 25 September 1066, and the Battle of Hastings happened on 14 October; only 19 days apart from each other, two of the most important battles in English history took place. It was just six days following Harold Godwinson's impressive victory at Stamford Bridge that the king received word from a messenger that William, Duke of Normandy had arrived in force at Pevensey on England's southern coast. King Harold now had to take his tired army all the way from Yorkshire to Sussex (a distance of over 200 miles) in record time to hang on to his crown. Harold did not take his entire army from Stamford Bridge, and would gather more forces in London before marching onto Hastings, however a significant number of warriors who fought at Stamford did accompany him to Hastings, and these men would have been fatigued beyond comprehension after a lightning march from London to Yorkshire, followed by a bloody battle, and finally a gruelling journey back. When Harold went to war for the second time, he arrived with an army that was tired, but also incomplete. It is widely believed that had Harold waited even two weeks more in London for men to assemble to him, he could have met William with a much larger force. In addition, the Normans made deadly use of their skilled archers and cavalry, for which Harold's traditional Anglo-Saxon tactics were no match. Harold arrived at Hastings with very few archers and no cavalry, leaving his warriors outmatched. The Anglo-Saxon shield wall was a formidable barrier of defence, but when the Norman horses charged, and the shield wall disintegrated, it became obvious to the Anglo-Saxons that the battle had been lost. King Harold himself suffered an arrow to the eye before being cut down, and the Normans were victorious. William the Conqueror, as he became known had successfully invaded England and slain her king. He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066, and his descendants sit on the English throne to this day. The Norman conquest would mark the end of Anglo-Saxon England. William would oust the English ruling elite and replace them with Norman barons, and French became the dominant language of the English court. William was also responsible for the construction of castles all across the country, whereby he would secure his reign, and for the completion of the Domesday Book, or the "Great Survey" of England and Wales, the like of which would not be attempted again until 1873. Want to know more?English Heritage and Ten Minute History both have great videos on 1066:
Some sources for additional reading:Richard Holmes, Britain at War: Famous British Battles from Hastings to Normandy
Jim Bradbury, The Battle of Hastings S.W. Crompton, Battles That Changed The World: Hastings Medieval Warfare Magazine Domesday Book
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AuthorMy name is Danny Randell. I am an undergraduate student of history, and have also been privileged to work in various capacities at two provincially recognised museums in Alberta, Canada. ArchivesCategories |