For the battle, William used strategy; weakening the army first then engaging in close combat while the English used brute strength and whatever material was available i.e. stones, javelins and maces. The English had also built a shied wall which proved very effective in the beginning. The Normans threw open fire at the English this did not have the desired effect as it hit the shield wall. The English on the other hand managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Norman ranks. William’s tactics were not giving the estimated result as the English were not affected or softened by the archers, so William switched to the cavalry earlier. This too failed, as the horses shied away even though they were carefully trained and specially bred.
The Normans were allied with the Breton and Flemish divisions while the English were supported by fyrdmen and Harold’s own brothers Leofwyne and Gyrthe. An hour into the battle, the Breton division had fled from the scene, paired with the heavy casualties the Norman and Flemish divisions retreated realising they would be quickly defeated. Thinking of this as an oppurtunity many of the English broke ranks.
Later, William’s horse was killed from underneath him and was presumed dead, so the Norman’s were taking flight, but William stood and took off his helmet to reassure his army that he was alive. The main defence of the English, the shield wall, was no longer useful and William had successfully counter-attacked the English with his knights. After, two armies were formed and a temporary lull took place, William used this lull to conjure new strategies. It is not sure what happened next but the result was that many English Housecarls were killed.
The Housecarls were stabilising the shield wall, but after their decease the English fyrdmen had to take front rank. William used this advantage and ordered his bowmen and archers to fire directly over the wall. This was a success. This is probably the time at which the arrow hit Harold in the eye. William had then broken down the wall. At this point, the fyrdmen had fled as their leader had been killed and so many soldiers lost but the Housecarls stayed loyal and stayed until they were all killed.
After the battle, William allowed his army to rest for two weeks whilst waiting for the English Lords to approach, though they never came. William then proceeded to London; through this he lost a grave number of his soldiers by dysentery, William was also ill. Edgar the Atheling was elected kings in the wake of Harold’s death but on Christmas day 1066, William was crowned king.
There are reminders of the battle of Hastings, such as, the Bayeux tapestry a visual recollection of how the battle was played and Battle Abbey was placed upon the site at which was battled upon and a plaque placed upon where Harold was rumoured to have fallen.
This was also the last successful invasion of England and also introduced European rather than Scandinavian society onto this isolated country.