The Battle of Hastings William’s fleet Harold leaves Harold leaves set sail York London 27th September 2nd October 12th October 1066 1066 1066 28th September 6th October 14th October 1066 1066 1066 The Normans Harold reaches The Battle of land at London Hastings Pevensey happened Task: What can you learn from this timeline about why Harold Godwinson lost the Battle of Hastings? William’s scouts Harold’s army was The battle lasted 8 William’s archers William’s foot spotted Harold’s able to position hours, a very long were the first to soldiers and knights advancing army – itself along the time for a medieval attack, but the were beaten back Harold failed to ridge at the top of a battle. This was archers had to stay by the shield wall achieve a surprise hill. That meant that because the two out of the English initially. The English attack William had to sides were evenly javelin range and housecarls did great attack up hill. matched. There the English shield damage to horses were different wall knew how to and men with their phases of the battle catch the arrows on two-handed axes. their shields. At one point the A feigned retreat A shield wall Harold and his The rest of the Norman army was meant that the gradually thinned brothers, Gyrth and English army then panicking that English fyrdsmen out. Norman Leofwine, and their ran for it. The William had been left the shield wall knights then housecarls, made Bayeux tapestry end killed. William to chase after charged through it final stands at the with the words (in tipped back his retreating Normans. and caused great top of the hill, Latin) ‘and the helmet back to The English were damage. Norman fighting to the English turned and show he was still then surrounded archers also became death. Harold and fled’ alive. and cut down. more effective as his brothers died. the shield wall failed.
The Battle of Hastings William’s fleet set sail 27th September 1066 Harold leaves York 2nd October 1066 Harold leaves London 12th October 1066 28th September 1066 The Normans land at Pevensey 6th October 1066 Harold reaches London 14th October 1066 The Battle of Hastings happened Task: What can you learn from this timeline about why Harold Godwinson lost the Battle of Hastings? William’s scouts spotted Harold’s advancing army – Harold failed to achieve a surprise attack Harold’s army was able to position itself along the ridge at the top of a hill. That meant that William had to attack up hill. The battle lasted 8 hours, a very long time for a medieval battle. This was because the two sides were evenly matched. There were different phases of the battle William’s archers were the first to attack, but the archers had to stay out of the English javelin range and the English shield wall knew how to catch the arrows on their shields. William’s foot soldiers and knights were beaten back by the shield wall initially. The English housecarls did great damage to horses and men with their two-handed axes. At one point the Norman army was panicking that William had been killed. William tipped back his helmet back to show he was still alive. A feigned retreat meant that the English fyrdsmen left the shield wall to chase after retreating Normans. The English were then surrounded and cut down. A shield wall gradually thinned out. Norman knights then charged through it and caused great damage. Norman archers also became more effective as the shield wall failed. Harold and his brothers, Gyrth and Leofwine, and their housecarls, made final stands at the top of the hill, fighting to the death. Harold and his brothers died. The rest of the English army then ran for it. The Bayeux tapestry end with the words (in Latin) ‘and the English turned and fled’
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