After defeating the Vikings, King Harold swung his army southward to battle the Norman Invasion. Despite his army’s exhaustion, the Anglo Saxons performed well at Hastings. The two sides fought to a draw until King Harold fell to an archer. The battle turned and William the Bastard became William the Conqueror as Anglo Saxon England died and Norman England was born.
King Harold faced two challenges to his throne. He defeated the Viking challenge at York. The battle cost the English about 1/3 of their strength and left little time to rest. Following the victory, Harold moved his army to meet William the Bastard’s invasion force. The force march exhausted the Anglo Saxon army.
Despite the disadvantages, the Anglo Saxons claimed the high ground. The Normans relied on archers and cavalry charges to break the enemy lines. William erroneously believed his forces had severely weakened the English and ordered an infantry charge. As a result, Harold’s forces inflicted heavy damage upon the Norman infantry.
The battle remained a draw for most of the day. The Normans appeared to be on the verge of breaking and one division actually decided to leave the field. The Anglo Saxons misinterpreted this as a general retreat and charged. During the clash, William’s horse died and fell. At first, the Normans believed he was dead. However, the Duke of Normandy stood up and rallied his troops.
Once the Normans realized William survived the fall, they counterattacked and cut the exposed Anglo Saxons to pieces. Then, William attacked the weakened English line which began to break. The Norman archers fired a volley at the desperate defenders and William attacked again. One archer found Harold killing him with a strike through the eye. The Anglo Saxons panicked and crumbled without their king.
William the Bastard followed up his victory at Hastings and conquered England. Those not killed submitted to the Normans. London submitted and guaranteed William the English crown. In return, William promised not to raze the city. William the Bastard became King William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066.
England has not been conquered since William’s invasion. King Harold fought the Normans to a draw before falling in battle. His death sealed Anglo Saxon England’s fate. The Norman Conquest led to French dominance of the island and England now looked to France for guidance.
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