Battle of Hastings Quiz

Study Notes

The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between Norman-French and English armies.
The Norman-French army was led by William, Duke of Normandy, while the English army was led by Harold Godwinson.
The battle took place near present-day Battle, East Sussex, and was a decisive Norman victory.
The background to the battle was a succession struggle between several claimants to the English throne after the death of King Edward the Confessor.
Harold faced invasions by William, his own brother Tostig, and the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada.
Tostig and Hardrada were defeated by Harold at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, leaving William as his only serious opponent.
William landed his invasion forces in the south of England and established a beachhead for his conquest of the kingdom.
The exact numbers present at the battle are unknown, but the English army was composed almost entirely of infantry, while only about half of the invading force was infantry.
The battle lasted from about 9 am to dusk, with the Normans adopting the tactic of pretending to flee in panic and then turning on their pursuers.
Harold's death led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army, and William was crowned as king on Christmas Day 1066.