Battle advantages Harold William Harold was fighting on home ground: Wessex William’s troops were trained in tactics that the The house carls were experienced, disciplined and English had never experienced before, including skilled warriors the feigned retreat The English had the best position on the His troops had to fight to survive: they would not battlefield: on a ridge at the top of the hill be able to retreat or escape William had obtained the pope’s blessing for his invasion and he and his men believed that God was on their side Battle disadvantages Harold William The men of the general fyrd were inexperienced Having to fight uphill made knights and archers and lacked discipline less effective The core of his army were tired from fighting at Although his knights had trained for years in their Stamford Bridge and marching south. They may battle tactics, many of his foot soldiers were also have been demoralised by having to fight yet mercenaries who had not trained to fight in another battle. combination with knights A lack of archers – it is possible that English Knights had trained to change against other archers were among the fyrd troops who arrived knights: charging a shield wall was probably in London after Harold had already rushed off to something entirely new Hastings Task: Explain the importance of the ‘feigned retreat’ as an explanation for William’s victory at the Battle of the Hastings (12 mark)
Battle advantages Harold Harold was fighting on home ground: Wessex The house carls were experienced, disciplined and skilled warriors The English had the best position on the battlefield: on a ridge at the top of the hill William William’s troops were trained in tactics that the English had never experienced before, including the feigned retreat His troops had to fight to survive: they would not be able to retreat or escape William had obtained the pope’s blessing for his invasion and he and his men believed that God was on their side Battle disadvantages Harold The men of the general fyrd were inexperienced and lacked discipline The core of his army were tired from fighting at Stamford Bridge and marching south. They may also have been demoralised by having to fight yet another battle. A lack of archers – it is possible that English archers were among the fyrd troops who arrived in London after Harold had already rushed off to Hastings William Having to fight uphill made knights and archers less effective Although his knights had trained for years in their battle tactics, many of his foot soldiers were mercenaries who had not trained to fight in combination with knights Knights had trained to change against other knights: charging a shield wall was probably something entirely new Task: Explain the importance of the ‘feigned retreat’ as an explanation for William’s victory at the Battle of the Hastings (12 mark)
78452504201827042018Anglo%20Saxon%20Norman%20revision%20booklet.docx