1066

• The coronation and reign of King Harold II Godwinson were marked by his quick succession to the throne following the death of Edward the Confessor, and his smooth transition of power.
• King Harold II Godwinson called up an army in anticipation of a possible Norman invasion.
• Tostig Godwinson and King Harald Hardrada invaded the north of England with about 8,000 men in 200 ships, raiding places in the north.
• Earls Edwin and Morcar were defeated by Tostig Godwinson and King Harald Hardrada at Gate Fulford on 20th September.
• King Harold II Godwinson was on the south coast, waiting for an expected Norman invasion, when he heard about the invasion.
• King Harold II Godwinson marched north with his housecarls, and gathered thegns and ordinary men (the fyrd) as he went.
• King Harold II Godwinson’s army took Harald Hardrada’s army by surprise at Stamford Bridge on 25th September.
• Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson were killed in the battle, as were many of their soldiers.
• Only 24 ships returned to Norway after the battle.
• The battles in the north demonstrated that Earls Edwin and Morcar were loyal to King Harold II Godwinson, and that King Harold II Godwinson was a strong warrior and leader.
• The Norman invasion was preceded by preparations such as getting the support of the Pope for the invasion, building a fleet with special flat-bottomed boats, and making sure the army was well-fed throughout the summer while they were training.
• William had to wait all summer for the wind to be in the right direction before he could sail to England.
• The Normans landed on 27th September at Pevensey; all the Anglo-Saxon soldiers were away fighting in the north.
• The Normans quickly built castles at Pevensey and Hastings in the remains of old hill forts.
• King Harold II Godwinson heard of William’s arrival and was angry about the destruction of land in Wessex.
• King Harold II Godwinson marched south quickly, and didn’t wait in London to gather more troops.
• The battle of Hastings had about 7,000 – 8,000 men on each side.
• The Anglo-Saxons made a shield wall on top of a hill.
• The Anglo-Saxon army included housecarls and the ordinary men of the fyrd.
• The Normans had soldiers, archers with crossbows, and knights on horseback, who used swords and axes.
• William’s half-brothers Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain helped him during the battle.
• William carried a banner from the Pope to remind his soldiers they had the Pope’s support.
• At first, the Anglo-Saxons were able to hold their position on top of the hill, and the Norman archers and knights weren’t able to fight them effectively.
• There was a rumour that William was dead; the Normans nearly gave up.
• William lifted up his helmet to show his men that he was alive, which gave the Normans hope.
• The Normans pretended to run away, which the Anglo-Saxons fell for, and broke their shield wall.
• The Norman knights were able to attack the Anglo-Saxons, and eventually, King Harold II Godwinson and his brothers Gyrth and Leofwine were killed.
• It is likely Harold was hacked down by Norman troops, although some say he was shot with an arrow to the eye.
• England before 1066:

  • Sophisticated and civilised society with approximately 2 million inhabitants
  • Religion was a key feature, with everyone following Catholic Christianity
  • King Edward the Confessor had ruled since 1042, and his reign had been stable and peaceful
  • The Godwin family was a powerful ruling family in Norman England controlling a large area in 1066

  
• Rivals for the throne of England:

  • William the Duke of Normandy, related to Edward through his mother's side, claimed Edward promised him the throne
  • Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, claimed a relative of the previous king should be chosen
  • Harold Godwineson, earl of Wessex, claimed Edward promised him the throne on his deathbed
  • Edgar the Aethling, great nephew to Edward, led rebellions against the Normans after 1066
• Who were the Normans:

  • William inherited Normandy at age 7 in 1035, a rich area in northwestern France
  • Norman dukes acknowledged French kings as superior but could raise armies, carry out justice, and demand taxes
  • William earned the title 'Conqueror' due to successful campaigns
• William prepares to invade England:

  • Started mobilizing forces after Harold's coronation
  • Built flat-bottomed boats to transport horses, produced weapons, and made 'flat-pack' castles
  • Recruits joined for promised land and riches, 8000 men joined William's campaign
  • Landed in Pevensey on 28th September 1066

  
• Harald Hardrada invades:

  • Landed near York, Battle of Fulford Gate
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge: Harold moved fast to deal with the Viking invasion, defeating Hardrada

  
• Norman Warfare:

  • Advanced tactics and weaponry, cavalry, archers, divided army into divisions, used flags called gonfanon
• The Battle of Hastings:

  • William provoked Harold by attacking and burning villages on his way to Hastings
  • Battle started at 9am with Norman archers firing arrows, followed by infantry charges and shield wall defense
  • Norman feigned retreat tactic, change in archer position, cavalry charge, Harold killed leading to Anglo-Saxon disintegration

  
• Attachment is a strong reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and a primary caregiver

  
• Schaffer and Emerson's 1964 study on attachment:

  • Aim: identify stages of attachment / find a pattern in the development of an attachment between infants and parents
  • Participants: 60 babies from Glasgow
  • Procedure: analysed interactions between infants and carers
  • Findings: babies of parents/carers with 'sensitive responsiveness' were more likely to have formed an attachment
• Freud's superego represents internalized societal values and standards
• The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was fought between the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, and the Anglo-Saxons, led by King Harold II

  
• The Normans won the battle, positioning themselves on a hill, while the Anglo-Saxons were at the bottom