The Battle of Hastings
Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
Norman knights at the Battle of Hastings, Bayeux Tapestry · Myrabella · Public domain · Source page
A king dies without a child
In January 1066, King Edward the Confessor of England died with no heir. Three men claimed the throne: Harold Godwinson of England, William of Normandy, and Harald Hardrada of Norway.
Two invasions
Harold was crowned, then beat Hardrada at Stamford Bridge in the north on 25 September. Three days later William landed in the south with an army of several thousand men, so Harold marched his tired army about 400 km back.
A day-long fight
14 October 1066
The armies met near Hastings on 14 October. The English stood on a ridge behind a shield wall. The battle lasted most of the day, which was unusually long for a medieval battle.
Harold falls
Late in the day Harold was killed and the English line broke. Tradition says an arrow hit him in the eye, though historians still argue about how he died.
A new ruling class
William was crowned king on Christmas Day 1066. Norman lords took the land, and French became the language of the court and law. English lived on among ordinary people and later grew into a mix of both.
Why it still matters
The Bayeux Tapestry, about 70 metres long, tells the story in pictures. The conquest tied England to France for centuries and shaped English law, castles and language.
Review question
Who did William fight at Hastings?
Answer: Harold Godwinson, the new English king. Harold Godwinson had been crowned in January. Hardrada had been beaten less than three weeks earlier, and Edward had died in January.
What changed in England after 1066?
Answer: Norman lords took the land and French became the language of the court. William gave land to his Norman followers, and French was used at court for generations.
Image credits
- Norman knights at the Battle of Hastings, Bayeux Tapestry · Myrabella · Public domain · Source page
