Battle of Hastings
Eun Young Shin
Background
King Edward the Confessor of England's vow to make William the Duke of Normandy his heir changed on his deathbed when he named Harold Godwinson his successor. After King Edward was buried in Westminster Cathedral, Harold was crowned as King Harold II of England but Duke William set sail to take his seat as the king.[1]
Turning Point
The Battle of Hastings took place on October 14, 1066 between the Duke William of Normandy’s army and King Harold II’s Saxon army on Senlac Hill, Hastings, England. William arrived in Pevensey Bay in England with his army of about 7,000 men – 3,000 horsemen, 1,000 archers, and the rest infantry[2] – on September 28, captured the area and marched onto Hasting.[3] Harold was notified of William’s arrival around October 1, started the march to Hastings with his men[4] of also about 7,000 men and arrived on the 13th, the day before the battle occurred.[5] With the sighting of Harold’s army, William ordered his men to march at dawn the next day[6] and the battle started with Taillefer, a minstrel of the Norman rank, charging into the English line.[7] During the fight, Harold’s brothers Gryth and Leofwine were killed[8] and the English army shrank in size as the Normans advanced on them. Eventually the battle was won by the Normans with Harold’s death, which still remains as a mystery. Baudri of Bourgueil in 1099 interpreted his death by an arrow to the eye through the Bayeux Tapestry[9] but the Carmen claimed William, Eustace of Boulogne, and Hugo of Ponthieu to have killed Harold.[10] After the battle, William then marched to London and was crowned king of England on December 25, 1066.[11]
Effect
The Norman conquest of England ended the Anglo-Saxon rule in England and it was also the last time any non-English people conquered the island.[12] French became the official language used in the court and its mix with the Anglo-Saxon language created modern English.[13]
[1] Glen Ray Crack, "Why Did the Battle Happen?," 1998, The Battle of Hastings 1066, 22 March 2013 < http://www.battle1066.com/why1.shtml>.
[2] Howarth, David. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 1981. 169.
[3] Thronhill, Patrick. The Battle of Hastings. 1966. 29.
[4] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 31.
[5] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 33.
[6] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 172.
[7] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 174.
[8] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 179.
[9] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 182.
[10] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 183.
[11] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 47.
[12] Glen Ray Crack, "The Battle of Hastings 1066 Introduction," 1998, The Battle of Hastings 1066, 22 March 2013 <http://battle1066.com/index.html>.
13] "Battle of Hastings," 2013, History: A&E Television Networks, LLC, 22 March 2013 <http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-hastings>.
Bibliography
Howarth, David. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. Harmondsworth. Middlesex. Penguin. 1981:
169, 172, 174, 179, 182, 183.
Thornhill, Patrick. The Battle of Hastings. Methuen. London. 1966: 29, 31, 33, 47.
Glen Ray Crack. The Battle of Hastings 1066. n.d., n.p. Web. 22, March 2013.
"Battle of Hastings." History. A&E Television Networks, LLC, n.d., n.p. Web. 22, March 2013.
Eun Young Shin
Background
King Edward the Confessor of England's vow to make William the Duke of Normandy his heir changed on his deathbed when he named Harold Godwinson his successor. After King Edward was buried in Westminster Cathedral, Harold was crowned as King Harold II of England but Duke William set sail to take his seat as the king.[1]
Turning Point
The Battle of Hastings took place on October 14, 1066 between the Duke William of Normandy’s army and King Harold II’s Saxon army on Senlac Hill, Hastings, England. William arrived in Pevensey Bay in England with his army of about 7,000 men – 3,000 horsemen, 1,000 archers, and the rest infantry[2] – on September 28, captured the area and marched onto Hasting.[3] Harold was notified of William’s arrival around October 1, started the march to Hastings with his men[4] of also about 7,000 men and arrived on the 13th, the day before the battle occurred.[5] With the sighting of Harold’s army, William ordered his men to march at dawn the next day[6] and the battle started with Taillefer, a minstrel of the Norman rank, charging into the English line.[7] During the fight, Harold’s brothers Gryth and Leofwine were killed[8] and the English army shrank in size as the Normans advanced on them. Eventually the battle was won by the Normans with Harold’s death, which still remains as a mystery. Baudri of Bourgueil in 1099 interpreted his death by an arrow to the eye through the Bayeux Tapestry[9] but the Carmen claimed William, Eustace of Boulogne, and Hugo of Ponthieu to have killed Harold.[10] After the battle, William then marched to London and was crowned king of England on December 25, 1066.[11]
Effect
The Norman conquest of England ended the Anglo-Saxon rule in England and it was also the last time any non-English people conquered the island.[12] French became the official language used in the court and its mix with the Anglo-Saxon language created modern English.[13]
[1] Glen Ray Crack, "Why Did the Battle Happen?," 1998, The Battle of Hastings 1066, 22 March 2013 < http://www.battle1066.com/why1.shtml>.
[2] Howarth, David. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 1981. 169.
[3] Thronhill, Patrick. The Battle of Hastings. 1966. 29.
[4] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 31.
[5] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 33.
[6] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 172.
[7] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 174.
[8] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 179.
[9] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 182.
[10] Howarth. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. 183.
[11] Thronhill. The Battle of Hastings. 47.
[12] Glen Ray Crack, "The Battle of Hastings 1066 Introduction," 1998, The Battle of Hastings 1066, 22 March 2013 <http://battle1066.com/index.html>.
13] "Battle of Hastings," 2013, History: A&E Television Networks, LLC, 22 March 2013 <http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-hastings>.
Bibliography
Howarth, David. 1066: The Year of the Conquest. Harmondsworth. Middlesex. Penguin. 1981:
169, 172, 174, 179, 182, 183.
Thornhill, Patrick. The Battle of Hastings. Methuen. London. 1966: 29, 31, 33, 47.
Glen Ray Crack. The Battle of Hastings 1066. n.d., n.p. Web. 22, March 2013.
"Battle of Hastings." History. A&E Television Networks, LLC, n.d., n.p. Web. 22, March 2013.