1. The Battle of Hastings, 1066

2. Battle of Hastings Took place in 1066
Between Harold Godwinson and William, Duke of Normandy
In the fall of 1066 William and his army of Norman knights landed in England

3. Divide page 38 into 5 sections1 2
Divide page 38 into 5 sections 3 4 5

4. The Saxon Army (Harold Godwinson)
Harold had two types of soldiers in his army:
1. Housecarls
These were full time professional soldiers who were well trained & paid.
During the Battle of Hastings, a Housecarl managed to behead a horse and kill its rider with one swing.

5. The Saxon Army (Harold Godwinson)
Harold had two types of soldiers in his army:
2. Fyrd
These were part time, unpaid soldiers who were called up when the country was in danger.

6. The Norman Army (William, Duke of Normandy)
These are
highly trained,
full time
professional
soldiers!
Horsemen / Calvary
Spearmen
Archers

7. The Battlefield Harold’s Army forms a shield Wall William’s Archers
Harold’s Housecarls
Fyrd:
Part Time Soldiers
William’s Spearmen & Foot soldiers
William’s Horsemen

8. The Start of the Battle
Bayeux Tapestry, William attacks the Harold’s Shield Wall

9. Early Stages of the Battle (Stage 1)
‘The English were helped by the advantage of their high position which, massed tightly together they held without attempting to advance. The weapons which they fought with easily cut through shields and other protective armour.’
William of Poitiers

10. The Normans start running away (Stage 1)
‘The Normans thought William was dead, but he rushed after them and showed his bared head. “Look at me!” he shouted, “I’m still alive.”

11. A Cunning Plan! (Stage 2) What was William’s Cunning Plan?
When William’s army
retreated a thousand
Saxon Warriors left
the protection of the
Shield Wall to chase
after the them.
They were easily
killed by William’s
Horsemen!
Duke William

12. Cunning Plan! (Stage 2) William’s army pretends to run away
They then turn around and kill the Harold’s army who are chasing after them!
William’s army pretends to run away

13. Cunning Plan! (Stage 2)
‘They withdrew, pretending to turn in flight. Some thousand or more of the English rushed forward; suddenly the Normans turned their horses, cut off the force which was pursuing (chasing) them, encircled them and massacred (killed) them to the last man. Twice the Normans used this trick with equal success.’
William of Poitiers

14. The Archers (Stage 3)
The Shield Wall was weakened but still strong, so William ordered his Archers to aim high to distract the Saxons while he led another charge.

15. The Shield Wall Collapses (Stage 4)
Harold’s brothers are killed.

16. Death of Harold (Stage 5)
“Then it was with an arrow which was shot towards the sky, struck Harold above the right eye.”
Guy of Amein, 1067
“Receiving the fatal arrow from a distance, he died. One of the Norman soldiers with a sword then cut off his leg as he lay.”
William of
Mamesbury, 1125
William sends in a squad of Normans
to kill King Harold

17. Aftermath
Once King Harold and his brothers were dead the rest of the Saxon army ran away.

18. King Harold was killed here
The Battlefield Today
King Harold was killed here