The Battle of Hastings

• In 1066, King Edward the Confessor died, leaving a succession struggle between several claimants to the throne.
• Harold, the new king, was quickly attacked by his own brother and Norwegian king.
• The Normans defeated the English at the Battle of Fulford and the Battle of Stamford Bridge, leaving Harold with only one serious opponent.
• William landed his invasion forces in the south of England and quickly established a beachhead for his conquest of the kingdom.
• Harold was forced to march south quickly and gather forces as he went.
• The composition of the forces at the battle is unclear, but it is likely that the English army was composed almost entirely of infantry and had few archers.
• Harold appears to have tried to surprise William, but scouts found his army and reported its arrival to William.
• The battle lasted from about 9 am to dusk and the English were defeated.
• After further marching and some skirmishes, William was crowned as king on Christmas Day.
• There continued to be rebellions and resistance to Williams rule, but Hastings effectively marked the culmination of Williams conquest of England.

Test your knowledge on the Battle of Hastings, a pivotal event in English history which resulted in the Norman conquest of England.