Category: Middle-Ages

Finally, the wind had changed direction and William could finally set course for England. Harold, being all the way up in York, had to go all the way back down. He set up camp in London, hoping for William to come to him, but William burned down villages, forcing Harold’s hand.

Harold’s forces placed themselves a top a hill in Hastings, with the Norman troops at the base of the hill. After a long stand off, The Norman Infantry charged up the hill. Then William brought the infantry back down and sent the cavalry up instead, this repeated for a few hours until something changed.

Some suspect that soldiers believed William had been killed. Others say it was a tactical decision. Others say that the Normans were just tired. Whatever the case may be, the Norman soldiers fled down the hill. The Saxons followed, allowing the Normans to encircle them and decimate them. Harold Godwinson was killed during this, the leading theory being that he was shot in the eye.

William was crowned King of England on Christmas Day, 1066. When the crowd cheered outside Westminster Abbey, William believed it to be a riot and burned down the village. After a long campaign of suppressing rebellions and burning down more villages, William was accepted as the official King of England.

After a breakneck 4 day long trek from the south of England to the North, Harold Godwinson and his army encounter Harald Hadrada and his men at Stamford Bridge, who were unprepared for battle. Despite such a disorganised army, legend has it that one berserker Viking held off the Saxon troops on the bridge until the Saxons came from underneath the bridge and stabbed him in the crotch. This defence gave the Vikings enough time to get prepared and form a shield wall. However, a lot of these Vikings were so unprepared that they didn’t even wear helmets or armour. They were defeated quickly and Harald was killed in the battle, bringing the Viking Era of Britain to a swift conclusion.

Winds were coming down from the north, keeping William in France. Harold waited on the English coast. Eventually, he began running out of supplies for his troops and disbanded his army. But these winds took Harald, assisted by Tostig Godwinson (Brother of Harold Godwinson), down to the Shetlands, Orkneys and, finally, North England. The vikings set up camp and pillaged York for food, water and supplies.

Two earls, Morcar of Northumbria and Edwin of Mercia, went north to meet Harald, at Fulford. The battle was in a marshy stream. The armies stood on either side, staring the enemy down. The stream cleared and the armies charged. Sword and spears impaled the enemy. The Vikings and Saxons(English) reported that Morcar was a brave leader fending off every viking in his way, and soon did Harald. Harald was in the reserve. He ordered the reserve to come from behind and attack the Saxons. He killed everyone in his path. When Harold received the information, he traveled from London to York, gathering his army on the way.

In 1066, Edward the Confessor died. Either due to religious reasons or an unhappy marriage, the man never had any children. 4 people were up for the title of King of England.

Edgar the Aethling was the Great nephew of Edward. Despite being the closest related to Edward, he was 15 years old, and not deemed fit to run the country

Harald Hadrada was the Viking King of Norway. He was well known as a sword for hire, fighting anyone and everyone you can think of, becoming incredibly wealthy because of his wars, becoming King upon his return home. The Viking King of England and Norway struck up a deal, wherein when the King of England died, the King of Norway would take the throne. Once the news reached Harald, he believed that he could invade England and become King

Harold Godwinson was the Earl of Wessex. His father, Godwin, had captured Edward’s brother, Alfred, and given him to King Harold Harefoot, who blinded him by stabbing a red hot poker in his eyes before Edward escaped to Normandy. In order to reunite the country, Edward had attempted to make peace with Godwin by marrying his daughter, Harold’s sister. Harold was the king’s close advisor, a war hero and has been interpreted as somewhat of a co-king, due to the amount of power he had.

William of Normandy was Duke of Normandy. Edward’s mother was a Norman so grew up in Normandy for much of his life. William was born out of wedlock to Duke Robert and his extra-marital affair. When William was around 7 or 8, his father died, making him the Duke. Much of his childhood was riddled with attempted assassinations. Edward and William were on very friendly terms, with Edward saying that William would become king when he died. Even Harold had pledged an oath over holy relics that William would become the next king.

Harold was at Edward’s side upon his passing. He then made a public announcement that Edward said he would be the new King of England. Harold’s word was taken for granted and he was crowned king on the 5th January 1066, but that didn’t mean he would stay king. In 1066 there were 3 battles which would change England forever.