The Battle of Hastings was a decisive battle fought on 14th October 1066 between the Anglo-Saxon forces of King Harold II (Godwinson) and the invading army of William Duke of Normandy.
Harold was fighting to keep the English crown while William, who believed the crown should be his, was intent on defeating Harold and becoming King of England.
Battle of Hastings Timeline
14th October 1066
8:00 a.m.
King Harold learned that William was marching north from Hastings. He moved his army from Caldbec Hill to the top of Senlac hill, which was easier to defend, and formed a shield wall. Harold’s army numbered between 5,000 and 7,000 men with the wall being between 5 and 7 men deep.
Harold’s army was comprised of:
Housecarls – the King’s private bodyguard , wearing helmets, chain mail and carrying swords, shields and axes.
The Fyrd – militia men from local villages and towns that were required to muster for battle when called upon to do so by their Ealdorman or the King.
8.30 a.m.
William’s army of 7,000 – 10,000 men arrived at the base of Senlac Hill. He lined the Breton and Flemish armies on his flanks, while the Norman and French armies occupied the centre of the line.
William’s army was comprised of:
Archers – armed with bows and arrows
Infantry (foot soldiers) – who wore light armour and carried spears and swords
Cavalry – (mounted soldiers) – who wore chain mail and carried swords and lances.
9.00 a.m.
‘The terrible sound of trumpets on both sides’ (William of Poitiers) announced the beginning of the battle.
The Normans made the first attack by firing a volley of arrows up the hill. However, many of the arrows flew over the shield wall and had little effect. Those that were on target were largely stopped by the Anglo-Saxon shield wall. The archers adjusted their trajectory and successive attacks had some success but the Anglo-Saxon shield wall remained intact.
9.30 a.m.
William instructed his infantry to advance up the hill and attack the English shield wall. They used their swords and spears to stab under and between the shields. The Normans were beaten back by the housecarls who stabbed the attackers with spears or chopped at them with axes.
10.00 a.m.
William ordered his cavalry to charge the English shield wall. Some were specifically instructed to try to weaken the flanks of the shield wall as this would enable the Normans to get behind the Saxon line. However, the incline of the hill and strength of the shield wall meant the cavalry charge had limited effect.
10.30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
More arrows were fired before a second infantry attack. During this attack some of the Breton soldiers realised they could not see William – usually sitting astride his large horse. A rumour went round that he was dead and a group of Bretons turned and fled down the hill.
A significant number of the fyrd fighting on that side of the battlefield ran down the hill in pursuit of the fleeing Bretons hoping to encircle and massacre them. However, William was not dead and took off his helmet to prove he was alive.
William then ordered a charge across the field to attack the pursuing Saxons. The Saxon group, were quickly encircled on a raised patch of ground and all were killed.
12.00 p.m.
As was typical in Medieval battles, there was an agreed break in the fighting for one hour. This allowed soldiers to have food and drink and for commanders to regroup and plan ongoing strategies. The dead and wounded were also cleared from the battlefield.
1.00 p.m.
The battle restarted with William using similar tactics to the morning. He interspersed volleys of arrows with infantry and cavalry charges. These repeated attacks led to heavy casualties on both sides and notably for Harold, he lost his two brothers Leofwine and Gyrth.
Having seen the effect of the Breton retreat in the morning, William also ordered a number of feigned retreats, hoping to provoke breaks in the shield wall. These had some success, but not on the scale seen in the morning. Nevertheless, the English shield wall was beginning to weaken and the line was falling back.
3.00 p.m.
Around this time, Duke William called for another break in the fighting. Those that had survived thus far were able to take on sustenance and the battlefield was cleared of the dead and injured.
4.00 p.m.
William now ordered his cavalry soldiers to dismount and fight as infantry. After an intensive volley of arrows, the entire Norman army charged the shield wall. This intensive attack weakened the shield wall and forced it inwards making it shorter and easier to attack.
5.00 p.m.
As dusk was falling, King Harold lost his life. Many historians refute the traditional story that he was killed by an arrow to the eye. It is more likely that an arrow hit his helmet with such force as to send him off balance. At this point four Norman knights attacked him cutting his thigh and then decapitating him.
5.15 p.m.
With Harold dead, his housecarls tried to rally the fyrd to continue the fight, but most saw it as useless and deserted the field to return to their families.
With no army to fight with those housecarls that were still alive also fled the field and attempted to reach the Witan in London. Many were pursued and killed.
Duke William of Normandy had won the day. He returned to his camp at Hastings and waited for the Anglo-Saxon nobility to come to him and bend the knee. They did not come. William had won the battle but he had not won the crown. In London the Witan proclaimed Edgar Aetheling King.