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Hastings, battle of
Hastings, battle of, 1066. Fought on 14 October at what is now Battle (Sussex), where William the Conqueror ordered the construction of an abbey to commemorate his decisive victory over King Harold Godwineson. Much is obscure about the course of the battle, although several crucial features can be deduced from the Bayeux Tapestry and other contemporary sources. The core of Harold's army had marched south in under three weeks after its victory at Stamford Bridge. It must have been tired and was undoubtedly surprised by the speed at which William advanced to force battle. The two armies were probably almost evenly matched numerically, but William's contained cavalry, whereas Harold's did not. An apparent lack of archers made the English excessively passive. A mixture of genuine and feigned retreats by William's army appears to have disrupted the packed English forces by drawing them down from their defensive position on the ridge where the town of Battle now stands. King Harold's death, late in the day as the Normans poured through the English ranks, ensured that the battle would be decisive, despite attempts to organize English resistance around the young Edgar the Atheling.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Hastingsbattleof.html JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Hastingsbattleof.html |
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Hastings, battle of
Hastings, battle of, 1066. Fought on 14 October at what is now Battle (Sussex). The core of Harold's army had marched south in under three weeks after its victory at Stamford Bridge. The two armies were probably almost evenly matched numerically, but William's contained cavalry. A mixture of genuine and feigned retreats by William's army appears to have disrupted the packed English forces by drawing them down from their defensive position on the ridge. Harold's death, late in the day, ensured that the battle would be decisive.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Hastingsbattleof.html JOHN CANNON. "Hastings, battle of." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Hastingsbattleof.html |
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Hastings, Battle of
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Cite this article
"Hastings, Battle of." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Hastings, Battle of." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-HastingsBattleof.html "Hastings, Battle of." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-HastingsBattleof.html |
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