What Problems Harold Had before the battle?
Totig landed with 60 ships on the south coast but soon left when he heard Harold was coming. Harold’s men waited at the south coast for William. Then on 20th September Harald Hardrada landed with 500 ships on the North coast; Totig sailed north and met up with Harald. Harald fought the English Earls Edwin and Morcar they turned and fled. Tostig was made an earl, for serving Harald. When Harold heard this. He quickly marched north to Stamford to meet the Norwegians. (On 25th September the battle started). It was a great victory for Harold at Stamford Bridge. Harald and Tostig were killed. The remaining enemy retreated back to their boats most were killed escaping. Harold’s men stayed in the north. On 27th September (two days later) the wind changed direction, and William set sail early in the morning. His invasion fleet landed at Pevensey, on the Sussex coast. The next morning a messenger rode to Harold’s position in the north and told him “the Normans have landed”. During the 2nd and 13th of October.
On the 2nd, Harold marches south (covering 50 miles a day) leaving many archers in the north. On the 6th Harold reaches London and gathers together a new army, mainly foot soldiers. On 11th Harold leaves London. Marches 58 miles towards Hastings. On 13th Harold arrives at Hastings during the night, with an army of 7000 exhausted men.
The Battle of Hastings
The Normans set themselves up facing the English. There were three lines; the archers were at the front followed by the infantry and finally the cavalry. The Normans had the most whom were trained knights on horses. The middle line had the most archers, infantry and cavalry. The first’s line general was Alan of Britanny. The second line was Robert Mortain (ode Bishop of Bayeux). The third was Roger of Montgomery; behind Robert’s line on horseback was William duke of Normandy. The English positioned themselves on Senlac hill; with deep woodland behind them it was called Malfosse Wood, there was also marshland to either side. The English locked their shields together to make a wall; they were armed with axes and swords. The types of soldiers Harold had were Housecarls (2,500) and Fyrd (6,300). The Housecarls were at the front in an arc formation. Then came the Fyrd in an arc, and finally at back Harold in a Housecarl with Fyrds on either side of him in an arc formation. The battle stated at nine ‘ o clock. The Norman knights charged up the hill to break the wall, but failed and tried a second time, but they knew that there would be heavy losses so they turned and pretended to retreat, but then several thousand English gave pursuit, twice this trick was used with great success. Then as the wall looked bare. The Normans attacked the wall, and succeeded. There are two accounts of Harold’s death. The first is four knights chopped him up. The other is an arrow went into his eye and pierced his brain.
The Normans won the battle of Hastings because they had clever tactics. Harold could have won if he had managed his army well. In the end the most important reasons for the Norman’s winning was
- They didn’t have any problems from before
- They had a good army set-up
- They had clever tactics