A Analytical Review Of The Battle Of Hastings History Essay

A analytic Review Of The Battle Of Hastings History EssayIn October 14, 1066, the tragic Battle of Hastings took place. It was fought amidst the Norman Army of Duke William II of Normandy and the side of meat armament of King Harold II. The battle took place at Senlac Hill, just about 6 miles northwest of Hastings. Harold II was killed during the battle historians predict or believe that he was shot through and through the eye by the barraging arrows fired from the Norman armies. The battle was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England. Although at that place was further incline resistance after the Norman victory, the battle is seen as the school principal at which William gained control of England, becoming Englands first Norman ruler as King William I. The famous Bayeux arras shows the events of the battle. Many battles later on were built on the site of the conflict, such as Battle Abbey in East Sussex.Be desireing to the most authoritative family in England, Harold Godwisnon claimed the throne soon after Edward the Confessor died in January 1066. rough historians say that Edward had verbally promised the throne to his cousin William the Duke of Normandy, notwithstanding decided just before his death to hold back it to Harold. While Edward the Confessor had a great short letter nephew who might generate qualified as his heir, he was considered to be too young.William had been instituting policy in England for over 15 years, and by taking Harolds crowning, he declared the die of a great battle. He planned to invade England and effect over the throne. However, at that time, the Norman legions was not strong enough, so nobles as far as Southern Italy were called to gather at Caen in Normandy. In order to convince them to aid him, he promised lands and titles to his followers and supporters and claimed that the voyage was secured by the Pope. William assembled an enormous devolve of about seven hundred ships, over twent y thousand men. This force waited at the port through summer, probably beca routine of unfavorable weather conditions and more likely from fear of a clash at ocean with the large incline fleet. The Norman ships finally sailed for England after the exhaustion of supplies forced Harold to dismiss his fleet and army, to cast up to that, many incline ships were destroyed by a storm. On the day of September 28, 1066, William landed unimpeded at Pevensey.Harold, who had been waiting for Normans to start their invasion, rushed his armed forces to the north to attack an invading Norwegian Viking army led by King Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson, Harolds brother. He completely shattered the invaders at the battle of Stamford Bridge, near York. Upon comprehend that the Dukes forces had landed, Harold hurried southward to meet the invaders. Harolds brother, Earl Gyrth, recommended a delay in the attack, but Harold was determined to show his raft that he could defend his kingdom again st anyone who tries to invade it, hence demonstrating his power. He headed toward capital of the United Kingdom on the morning of 12 October, gathering all the forces he could on his way. He arrived at Senlac Hill on the night of 13 October.Harold organized his forces across the road from Hastings to London, on Senlac Hill. Behind him was the great forest of Anderida, also know as the Weald, and in scarecrow of him was a long glacis slope which rose to the opposing slope of Telham Hill.The side of meat ArmyThree weeks before the Battle of Hastings, the face army has fought to major battles, Gate Fulford and Stamford Bridge. The Battle of Stamford was winning for the English forces that crushed Harald Hardradas Viking army, but also weakened the English armys battle-worthiness at Hastings. The English army in the first place consisted of infantry. The heart of the army consisted of Housecarls, which are full-time professional soldiers who had a long standing dedication to the K ing. Their accouterments consisted of a conical helmet, a chain mail hauberk, and a kite-shaped shield. Their primary weapon was the two-handed Danish battleaxe as well as a standard sword.The mass of the English army, called the fyrd, was composed of part-time English soldiers brought from the lan big bucksing minor nobility. These soldiers were required to serve with their own armor and weapons for a specified period of time. The English had a terrifying defense line which is the shield wall in which all of the men at the face up ranks packed in their shields together it was an invincible defense strategy. In the beginning of the battle, the shield was very stiff at defending the English forces from the Norman attacks. The whole army was lined up at the appear line as the English soldiers at the front went low, forces from the back would come up front and reside the gaps of the wounded soldiers. This strategy very much aided the English forces for a while until the Norman a rmies prove a way to breach it.The Norman ArmyWilliam, Duke ofNormandy, was a skilled and experienced military leader. His troops, with bothinfantryandcavalry, were feared and respected. He had fought and defeated the king of France in 1054 and 1057. William did not believe in being forgiving to those who fought against him. The Norman army consisted mainly of nobles, mercenaries, and troops from Normandy, Flanders, Brittany and France, with about soldiers that came from as far as southern Italy.The Norman armys power was basically derived from its cavalry which was considered among the best in Europe. The Norman army was heavily armored with an alance and a sword. The Norman infantry were protected by ring mail and armed with spears, swords and shields almost like the English forces. The large number of missile troops reflected the drift in European armies for combing different types of forces on the battlefield. One of the weapons used by the Normans, the bow, was a relatively short weapon with a short draw, but despite of the fact that it was short, it was very motionive on the battlefield. Hastings marks the first known use of the crossbow in the battle in English history.The BattleWilliam relied on basic tactics witharchersin the front rank weakening the enemy with arrows, followed by infantry which would engage in close combat, ending in a cavalry charge that would break through the English forces. However, his tactics did not work as well as planned. Williams army attacked the English as soon as they were ready and formed up. Norman archers shot several volleys but many of the arrows hit the shield wall and had very little effect. accept the English to have been softened up, William ordered his infantry to attack. As the Normans charged up the hill, the English threw down whatever they could find stones,javelins, andmaces. The barrage inflicted heavy casualties among the Norman ranks, causing the lines to break up.The infantry charge reached the En glish lines, where violent hand-to-hand fighting took place. William had expected the English to weaken, but the arrow barrage had little effect and nearly all the English troops still stood, their shield wall undamaged. As a pass on William ordered his cavalry to charge far sooner than planned. Faced with a wall of axes, spears and swords, many of the horses shied remote despite their careful breeding and training. after an hour of fighting, theBretondivision on Williams left faltered and broke completely, fleeing down the hill. Suffering heavy casualties and realizing they would be quickly outflanked the Norman and Flemish divisions retreated. Unable to resist the temptation, many of the English broke ranks, including hundreds of fyrdmen and Harolds brothers, Leofwyne and Gyrthe. In the interest confused fighting, Williams horse was killed from underneath him, and he toppled to the ground. Initially, many of Williams soldiers thought that he had been killed, and an even greater rout ensued. It was only after he stood up and threw off his helmet that William was able to cite his fleeing troops.William and a group of his knights successfully counter-attacked the pursuing English, who were no longer protected by the shield wall, and burn down large numbers of fyrdmen. Many did not recognize the Norman counter-attack until it was too late, but some managed to scramble back up the hill to the safety of thehousecarls. Harolds brothers were not so fortunate their deaths deprived the English of an alternative leader after the death of Harold. The two armies formed up, and a temporary pause savage over the battle. The battle had turned to Williams advantage, since the English had lost much of the protection provided by the shield wall. Without the coherency of a disciplined, strong formation, the individual English were easy targets. William launched his army at the strong English position again and many of the English housecarlswere killed.With such a large n umber of English fyrdmen now keeping the front rank, the disciplined shield wall that the housecarls had maintained began to weaken, presenting an opportunity to William. At the start of the battle the fare of arrows fired at the English by Williamsbowmenwas ineffective because of the English shields. Though many on the front ranks still had shields, William ordered his archers to fire over the shield wall so that the arrows landed in the meet rear ranks of the English army. The archers did this with great success. Legend states that it was at this point that Harold was hit in the eye by an arrow. Many of the English were now weary. Williams army attacked again, and managed to make small chinks in the shield wall. They were able to take advantage of these gaps, and the English army began to fragment. William and a handful of knights broke through the wall, and struck down the English king. Without their leader and with many nobles dead, hundreds of fyrdmen fled the field. The hou secarls kept their oath of loyalty to the king, and fought bravely until they were all killed.Following the Battle truly few defenders fled and take flight to the forest. The Norman forces pursued many of the fleeing English soldiers but they were ambushed and killed when they were walked over a plunk ground, called the Malfosse or bad ditch. William and his forces rested for two weeks near Hastings, waiting for the English lords to come and submit to him. After a while, he realized that his hopes of submissions were in vain, so William began to move towards London. The Norman army met many hardships and a large number of Williams army were reduced in November by dysentery, along with that, William himself was fatally ill. However, the Norman army was reinforced by fresh troops coming from the English Channel.While William was advancing towards London, the remains of the English government had gathered together and chosen the young and inexperienced Edgar the Atheling as king. Acc ording to many historians, they have chosen this king because they said that a weak king is better than no king at all and in the absence of the Godwinson family, he was the only available candidate at that time. Not long after the election of Edgar, many people fled for their safety. Members of the English establishment such as Edgars sisters Margaret and Cristina hastily escaped with their followers to Chester for protection. Meanwhile, William advanced through Kent devastating Romney and receiving the submission of Dover and its important castle.At Dover he paused for a week receiving the submission of Canterburyon October 29.He sent messengers toWinchesterwho received the submission of that city from the leave behind QueenEadgyth. From Canterbury William advanced to Southwark. After failing in attempt to cross London Bridge, William destroyed the sinless town. He now tried to use an alternative route to the city by an indirect trail crossing the Thames at Wallingford ravaging the land as he passes.The Norman forces finally proceeded on London from the north-west eventually reaching Berkhampstead in late November 1066. Arguments went on between Williams forces and the stressed authorities in London. They finally came to an engagement that stated that the city would be spared from further killing if Edgar resigned and William was recognized as king.This agreement seems to have been imposed on the young Edgar. In early December, Ansgar theSheriffofMiddlesex, the archbishops of York and Canterbury and the deposedEdgar the Athelingcame out and submitted to the Norman duke. William received them graciously and accepted their submission. William was crowned king onChristmas Day, 1066 atWestminster Abbey.ConclusionThe Battle of Hastings marks a very important point in history, in which it demonstrates Williams strong devotion to take the thrown. Many battles following the Battle of Hastings were built on the site such as Battle Abbey. Till now, there is a plaq ue that marks the place at which Harold was killed and has fallen and the location where the high altar of the perform once stood.The battle had a remarkable influence on the English language. The Normans main language was French, as a result of the rule, many new French words used by the nobles later was pick out by the English language and became part of the English language itself.As Paul K. Davis writes, Williams victory place a foreign ruler on the throne of England, introducing European rather than Scandinavian society onto the uninvolved island in the last successful invasion of England.