Norman England

• God


  Over everyone, always watching and would judge everyone, had put everyone in their place and society should not be changed
• All people in Britain were Christians and were Roman Catholics
• Pope


  Head of the Church, the Church was very important in society
• King


  Answered to God, anointed with holy oil at coronation, ruled by divine grace
• King's soldiers


  • Housecarls - professional, well trained soldiers, could be called upon to help defend the country
• Social hierarchy


  • King
  • Earls
  • Thegns
  • Peasants
  • Bishops and Abbots
• Earls


  Owned vast estates, ruled these lands for the King, appointed by the King, kept peace and justice, commanded military forces, defended the land, had great influence
• Thegns


  Lesser Nobles, local aristocracy, rewarded with land for personal and military service to the King, in control of a village, had to do armed service, repair fortresses, bridges and keep order on their land
• Peasants


  Worked the land all day, different types depending on land ownership and time given to Lord, could be called upon to fight in times of danger
• Bishops and Abbots


  Looked after the Church, appointed by the King, had power, owned land
• In 1066 there were about 2 million people in Britain
• Godwins


  Powerful ruling family, ruled Wessex, Earl Godwin related to kings, often disagreed with Edward the Confessor, exiled in 1052 but returned with increased power, Harold Godwinson became Earl of Wessex
• Normans


  Came from Normandy in France, ancestors were Vikings, land given to Viking chief Rollo by King of France, Emma of Normandy was mother of Edward the Confessor, Edward brought many Norman advisors to England
• On the 5th January 1066 Edward the Confessor King of England died. He had no son.
• Being King of England


  Attractive because it was wealthy, had strong central control, efficient administration, easy to collect taxes
• Promises and Last Words

  Last words of Edward the Confessor were said to be words from God, Harold Godwinson claimed Edward promised him the throne, William of Normandy claimed Harold had sworn an oath to help him become King, oaths were very important and should not be broken
• Claimants to the throne

  • Edgar Atheling
  • Harold Godwinson
  • Harald Hardrada
  • William Duke of Normandy
• 6th January 1066 - Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England.
• William of Normandy and Hardrada began to prepare to invade England and get the throne.

  
• Harold Godwinson began to prepare for battle - assembled a navy, gathered an army including housecarls and thegns, placed an army under Edwin and Morcar in the North.

  
• William's preparations


  Convinced the Pope the English Church needed reforming, received a Papal Banner making the invasion a holy war, built ships to transport army and weapons, prepared flat pack castles, recruited an army of 8,000 men from France
• Events of 1066


  1. Wind did not blow in right direction for William to invade

  2. Many of Harold's army had to return home to harvest crops

  3. Harald Hardrada arrived with 300 ships and help from Tostig

  4. Hardrada fought and won at Gate Fulford

  5. York surrendered to Hardrada

  6. Godwinson marched north and caught Hardrada by surprise

  
• Battle of Stamford Bridge

  Great victory for Godwinson, Hardrada killed, 300 ships reduced to 24 returning to Norway, but England unprotected against Normans, Godwinson's troops were tired

  
• Armies at Battle of Hastings

  • King Harold and Anglo Saxons: Fyrd (untrained farmers), Housecarls (trained men)
  • Duke William and Normans: Cavalry (Knights), Infantry, Archers

  
• Anglo Saxon tactics


  • Shield wall formation, interlocking round shields, used double handed axes, fought on foot
• Norman tactics


  • Infantry attack on foot, archers to wear down enemy, troops organised in divisions with flags to communicate, cavalry knights

  
• King Harold


  Had led English army for Edward the Confessor, fought Welsh and Vikings successfully, just beaten Hardrada at Stamford Bridge
• Duke William


  From age 7 had fought to keep Normandy, successful campaigns in Normandy, Maine and Sicily
• State of Harold's army

  Exhausted from forced march and fierce battle at Stamford Bridge, numbers of fyrd low as many had returned home for harvest
• State of William's army

  Rested and well fed, horses exercised, felt safe with prefabricated castles, had been attacking villages in Wessex
• Extra support


  Godwinson had support of Witan and his brothers, Pope had given William a papal banner
• Battle of Hastings


  1. Norman archers fire arrows at Anglo-Saxons

  2. First Norman attack fails, some retreat, rumour William killed

  3. Fyrd chase retreating Normans but get stuck in marshy land

  4. Both sides stop to remove dead and wounded

  5. William changes archer position, they start hitting Saxons

  6. Cavalry charge, feigned retreats weaken Saxons

  7. Shield wall begins to weaken, Normans break through, King Harold killed
• Factors in Norman victory

  • William's luck
  • William's leadership
  • Norman tactics
  • English tactics
  • Harold's leadership
• The first feigned retreat

  1. Not planned

  2. William uses this to get more fyrd to leave the top of the hill

  3. Weakens the Saxons
• The Norman attack


  1. Archers fire arrows

  2. Infantry charge at the Anglo Saxons
• The shield wall


  1. Begins to weaken

  2. Norman attack breaks through the sides

  3. The Housecarls surround Godwinson

  4. King Harold is killed

  5. The fyrd now break ranks and flee the battlefield
• William has won
• Reasons for William's Victory

  • William's Luck
  • William's Leadership
  • Norman Tactics
  • English Tactics
  • Harold's Leadership
  • Timing of Hardrada's invasion

  
• William's Luck


  • Kept men together while waiting to cross Channel
  • Prefabricated castle
  • Changing tactics mid battle
  • Wind stopped invasion and when he does arrive many fyrd have gone home
• Norman Tactics


  • Mix of tactics
  • Feigned retreats