用戶:Hinnia/沙盒/Hastings Notes

Essay Introduction

The Battle of Hastings in 1066 marked a crucial turning point in English history. The victory of William, Duke of Normandy, over Harold Godwinson of England had far-reaching consequences. This essay aims to assess the extent to which (William's skills/Harold's mistakes) contributed to his triumph in the Hastings campaign. While (William's skills/Harold's mistakes) such as... played a significant role, it is important to acknowledge that (Harold's mistakes/William's skills) and other factors also influenced the outcome of the battle.

William's Skills

Military Experience

• 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

Securing Backup of the Nobles and Magnates

• 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

Leadership

• 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

Harold's Mistakes

Preparation

Harold fell into William's trap

• William ravaged land to gain Harold's attention and make him come to Hastings asap
  • So that Harold would have a tired and unprepared troop
• Possibly the result of a personal desire to avenge the damage done to his ancestral land
• Harold travelled 350km down Ermine Street after the Battle of Stamford bridge
  • Left his troops exhausted
• The decision to force an early confrontation can be seen as reckless in the extreme

• 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
• Accoridng to the Bayeux Tapestry
  • During the 1064 Campaign to Normandy
  • Harold travelled to Normandy
  • Swore an oath that he would support William’s claim to the English crown
    • If Edward the Confessor die without an heir
  • When Harold enthroned himself
    • William used this to justify his invasion
  • Harold allowed himself to become a victim of Norman propaganda
  • Did not defend himself against Norman allegations with Alexander II
    • Damaged the morale of Harold's army and helped William recruit men

Battle

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
• eventually it broke and Harold lost the war

However

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

Other Factors

Unequal Armies

• Although roughly equal in size
• 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

Timing

• 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

Retreat of the Breton Division

• Caused the breakdown of Harold's shield wall
• Caused Anglo Saxon forces to be encircled.

Halley's comet

• Seen as an important omen of Harold's fate
• Damaged the morale of Harold's army