The Battle of Hastings

William’s troops

• cavalry = elite horseback riders, horses trained to bite + kick

• archers = leather armour, bows + arrows + short knife

• footsoldiers = professionally trained, chain mail armour, kite shaped shields

Harold’s troops

• housecarls = trained elite bodyguards, chain mail, kite shaped shields, dane axe (could kill a horse)

• select fyrd = trained thegns, chain mail + shields, axe/spears/swords

• general fyrd = peasant farmers, limited weapons/armour (some w farm tools)

Commanders

• Harold - Leofwine + Gyrth (HG brothers) fought + Earl Waltheof

• William - support from Pope (turned battle into Holy War)

Position of William + Harold at start of battle

• A-S = shield wall, HG chose battle site, HG + brothers on foot in SW, HG’s plan was to wear Normans down

• Normans - W on horseback, plan was to weaken + break SW

Story of the battle 1

• W’s cavalry attacked SW head on, repelled

• Archers shot at SW, most hit shields, killed Leofwine + Gyrth

Story of battle 2

• Some of W’s troops thought he was dead, retreated, followed by some A-S

• SW broken, W’s cavalry surrounded + killed them

Story of battle 3

• W did more feigned retreats, weakened SW

• HG unable to stop troops (as he’s on frontline)

Story of battle 4

• W’s archers fired up, hit A-S behind SW

Story of battle 5

• more gaps in SW

• A-S tired, gaps filled by less experienced

Story of battle 6

• HG killed

• A-S fled