用戶:Hinnia/沙盒/Hastings Notes

William's Skills

Always won praise for his valour
Had almost 2 decades of combat experience in Normandy
- At his peak in terms of his state as a warrior
- Experienced 1st battle at Val es Dunes, Henry I of France vs Norman rebels
Good tactics: besieging
Good knowledge of army divisions
Knew how to build take and defend castles
Alencon besieged and caused Castles to surrender
Known for his careful preparation

Many believed it was too hazardous and beyond the resources of Normandy
Persuaded them through force of personality and promise of great rewards
Concept of a Holy Crusade
Send the Norman Case to Alexander II by Lanfranc
Probable that he stressed Harold's perjury and moral corruption of the English Church
Convinced the Pope
Alexander gave them the Papal banner
Attracted support from Norman magnates and knights from outside Normandy

Proclaimed that he "grabbed England with both hands"
- Raised the spirits of his men
Managed logistics effectively to sustain his troops, notably his cavalry force
Moved to Hastings
- Large harbour, defensible location in the event of a retreat
William's Plan
- Temp a tired Harold into early battle to prevent facing the Winter blockaded in the Hastings peninsula
- Ravaged land
- Trap worked
  - He chose the time and place of battle instead of Harold
During the Battle
- William warned his men that
  - Retreat was impossible
  - Defeat meant death
  - God was on their side
  - The Pope blessed their crusade
William had the determination to rally his troops and ordered one last assault to break the enemy line

Left his Archers and Edwin and Morcar at Stamford Bridge
Stopped to pray at Walton Abbey and wasted time
Allowed himself to become a victim of Norman propaganda
- Drinking and partying after defeating Tostig
- Did not defend himself against Norman allegations with Alexander II
- Damaged the morale of Harold's army

Had to move south under conditions favourable to William due to the raiding of the surrounding area
- Waiting would have allowed Harold to assemble an overwhelming army
  - His army was already roughly the same size as William's army
    - However they were underprepared, under strength and tired
    - Untrained peasants were also behind huscarls in the shield war
    - Not the same as William's trained force
Lacked inspiration during the battle
- Stuck tactically with the shield wall
- Just hoping to wait it out

It can be argued that Harold did not have a choice
- If he did not react fast enough William might have kept on ravaging land and the country would still fall to him
- It can also be argued that it was to keep William trapped at Hastings and starve him of supplies or to try the element of surprise

The two armies were unequal in terms of
- Type of soldier
- Time for preparation
- Professionalism
- Energy
William had an army with heavy cavalry and archers
Fighting on foot made it hard for Harold to stop the shield wall from breaking up if he needed to

Lucky to have landed at the time he did while Harold was up north fighting Tostig
Edwin and Morcar were unable to fight as they were still in the North
Harold's fyrd had to demobilise to collect harvests in early september 1066
- Harold lost a part of his army