The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 near Hastings in England, between the Norman army of William, Duke of Normandy, and the English army of King Harold II. It ended in a decisive Norman victory and the death of Harold, leading to the Norman conquest of England. The battle is one of the best-known events in English history and marks the last successful invasion of England.
Where
Near Hastings, England
Who
William of Normandy vs Harold II
Outcome
Norman victory; Harold killed
Also known as
Battle of Senlac Hill
Background
When King Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, he left no clear heir. Harold Godwinson was crowned king, but William, Duke of Normandy, claimed that Edward had promised him the throne and that Harold had sworn to support his claim. Harold also faced invasion from Harald Hardrada of Norway, which he defeated at Stamford Bridge in September. Three days later, William landed on the Sussex coast. Harold marched south to meet him.
The battle
The battle took place about 10 kilometres north-west of Hastings, at a site now called Battle. Harold's army formed a shield wall on a ridge. The Normans attacked with infantry, cavalry and archers. The English held for most of the day. According to the Bayeux Tapestry and Norman accounts, a rumour that William had been killed caused a Norman retreat; the English broke ranks to pursue, and the Normans turned and cut them down. Harold was killed, and the English line collapsed.
Aftermath
William marched to London, where he was crowned king on Christmas Day 1066. He built castles across England to secure control, and replaced most of the English nobility with Normans. The conquest changed English law, language, and land ownership. The battle itself became a founding story of the Norman regime, commemorated in the Bayeux Tapestry and in later chronicles. The site of the battle is marked by Battle Abbey, founded by William as penance.
Perspectives. Norman sources, such as William of Poitiers and the Bayeux Tapestry, present William as the rightful heir and Harold as a perjurer. English sources, such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, are more favourable to Harold but still record the defeat. Modern historians debate the size of the armies, the exact tactics, and the reliability of the sources, but agree on the outcome and its significance.
Uncertain. The exact location of the battle is not certain, though it is generally placed at Battle Abbey. The numbers of soldiers on each side are unknown and estimates vary widely. The date on file, 20 October 1066 (Julian), conflicts with the traditional date of 14 October 1066; the traditional date is widely accepted, and the 20 October date appears to be an error. The site coordinates on file (50.912 N, 0.487 E) are approximate.
Further reading. Marc Morris, The Norman Conquest; David Howarth, 1066: The Year of the Conquest; The Bayeux Tapestry (primary source)