Questions and Answers
What was the composition of the English army at the Battle of Hastings?
Mostly infantry and some archers
How did William's forces defeat Harold's?
By using a feigned retreat
When was William crowned king after the Battle of Hastings?
December 25 1066
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Study Notes
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The Battle of Hastings was fought on October 14, 1066 between the Norman-French army of William the Duke of Normandy and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson.
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The battle was a decisive Norman victory, and the death of Harold led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army.
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The composition of the forces at the battle is unclear, but the English army was composed almost entirely of infantry and had few archers, whereas only about half of the invading force was infantry, the rest split equally between cavalry and archers.
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Harold appears to have tried to surprise William, but scouts found his army and reported its arrival to William, who marched from Hastings to the battlefield to confront Harold.
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The battle lasted from about 9 am to dusk, and the Normans adopted the tactic of pretending to flee in panic and then turning on their pursuers.
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Harold's death led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army. After further marching and some skirmishes, William was crowned as king on Christmas Day 1066.
