Harriet Harvey Wood's original and fascinating book shows that, rather than bringing culture and enlightenment to England, the Normans' aggressive and illegal invasion destroyed a long-established and highly-developed civilization which was far ahead of other European peoples in its political institutions, art and literature. It explores the background and lead-up to the invasion and the motives of the leading players, the state of warfare in England and Normandy in 1066, and the battle itself. By all the laws of probability, King Harold ought to have won the battle of Hastings without difficulty and to have enjoyed a peaceful and enlightened reign. That he did not was largely a matter of sheer bad luck. The result could just as easily have gone the other way. This gripping and highly-readable book shows how he came to be defeated, and what England lost as a result of his defeat and death.

The Battle of Hastings

Packed full of interesting and entertaining details that will delight all readers - from details about important characters to the influence the battle had on the future of England. Everything you need to know about the Battle of Hastings for school homework. Ladybird Histories is a series of books about particular events and people in history that children find especially engaging. Look out for other titles in the series: The Great Fire of London

A rousing historical narrative of the best-known and arguably most significant battle in English history. The effects of the Battle of Hastings were deeply felt at the time, causing a lasting shift in British cultural identity and national pride. Jim Bradbury explores the full military background of the battle and investigates both what actually happened on that fateful day in 1066 and the role that the battle plays in the British national myth. The Battle of Hastings starts by looking at the Normans—who they were, where they came from—and the career of William the Conqueror before 1066. Next, the narrative turns to the Saxons in England, and to Harold Godwineson, successor to Edward the Confessor, and his attempts to create unity in the divided kingdom. This provides the background to an examination of the military development of the two sides up to 1066, detailing differences in tactics, arms, and armor. The core of the book is a move-by-move reconstruction of the battle itself, including the advance planning, the site, the composition of the two armies, and the use of archers, feigned retreats, and the death of Harold Godwineson. In looking at the consequences of the battle, Jim Bradbury deals with the conquest of England and the ongoing resistance to the Normans. The effects of the conquest are also seen in the creation of castles and developments in feudalism, and in links with Normandy that revealed themselves particularly in church appointments. This is the first time a military historian has attempted to make accessible to the general reader all that is known about the Battle of Hastings and to present as detailed a reconstruction as is possible. Furthermore, the author places the battle in the military context of eleventh-century Europe, painting a vivid picture of the combatants themselves—soldiery, cavalry, and their horses—as they struggled for victory. This is a book that any reader interested in England’s history will find indispensable.

1066 remains the most evocative date in English history, when Harold was defeated by William the Conqueror and England changed overnight from Saxon to Norman rule. It has long been believed that, according to the Bayeux Tapestry, Harold was shot in the eye by an arrow. M. K. Lawson argues that the tapestry was badly restored in the 19th century, and that we should not necessarily believe what we see. He goes to sources that depict the tapestry before that restoration and reveals some breathtaking insights which will revolutionize the way we view both the battle and the death of England’s last Saxon king.

The Battle of Hastings, 1066

If ever there was a year of destiny for the British Isles, 1066 must have a strong claim. King Harold faced invasion not just from William and the Normans across the English Channel but from the Dane, King Harald Hardrada. Before he faced the Normans at Hastings in October, he had defeated the Danes at York and Stamford Bridge in September. In this superbly researched study, Frank McLynn overturns long-accepted myths, showing how William's victory at the Battle of Hastings was not, in fact, a certainty, and arguing that Harald Hardrada was actually the greatest warrior of the three. This is a masterly study, and reveals the truth to be more interesting than the myths surrounding this pivotal year in history.

1066

This historical study upends the traditional narratives surrounding the Norman Conquest by revealing the true location of its most important battle. The Duke of Normandy’s victory at the Battle of Hastings on October 14th, 1066, was one of the most important events in English history. As such, its every detail has been analyzed by scholars and interpreted by historians. Yet one of the most fundamental aspect of the battle—the ground upon which it was fought—has never been seriously questioned, until now. Could it really be that for almost 1,000 years everyone has been studying the wrong location? In this in-depth study, the authors examine both early sources and modern interpretations, unravelling compulsive evidence that historians have chosen to ignore because it does not fit the traditional narrative of this foundational event. Most importantly, the authors investigate the archaeological data to reveal the exact terrain on which history was made.

The Battle of Hastings 1066: The Uncomfortable Truth

Secrets of the Norman Invasion

On October 14, 1066, a battle took place in England that would dictate the course of history for the island nation for centuries to come. Soldiers from the army of Duke William of Normandy fought against those of the English king, Harold Godwinson. At stake was the throne of England. The battle took all day. Swords clanged, axes chopped, and arrows flew from both sides. In the end, the battle turned on the random flight of a single arrow. Find out what inventions and strategies determined which army prevailed or perished in this incredible true story of the Battle of Hastings.

A well researched and illustrated book about all matters concerning the Battle of Hastings.

1066 and the Battle of Hastings

A riveting and authoritative history of the single most important event in English history: The Norman Conquest. An upstart French duke who sets out to conquer the most powerful and unified kingdom in Christendom. An invasion force on a scale not seen since the days of the Romans. One of the bloodiest and most decisive battles ever fought. This new history explains why the Norman Conquest was the most significant cultural and military episode in English history. Assessing the original evidence at every turn, Marc Morris goes beyond the familiar outline to explain why England was at once so powerful and yet so vulnerable to William the Conqueror’s attack. Morris writes with passion, verve, and scrupulous concern for historical accuracy. This is the definitive account for our times of an extraordinary story, indeed the pivotal moment in the shaping of the English nation.

The Norman Conquest

One of a series of titles for students at Key Stages 2 and 3 which analyze key dates and events in history.

October 14, 1066. Find out why this date will live in infamy in Battle of Hastings. Learn what led up to the battle, including King Edward of England's death without an heir. Get to know key historical figures including King Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, Harold Hardrada of Norway, who sought the throne, and William, Duke of Normandy, who won the day and became William I, or William the Conqueror. Put yourself on a battlefield of the Middle Ages as you learn about military strategy and resulting casualties. Learn what weapons and tactics were used, including types of armor, the Normans' arrows and mounted troops, and the Saxons' battle axes, javelins, swords, and infantry. Finally, discover the reasons behind Harold's loss to William, as well as the aftermath of this pivotal conflict, including changes in language and governmental and societal organization. Black and white and color photographs, illuminating quotations, maps, charts, a glossary, an index, and book links round out this exciting and informative title. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Battle of Hastings

In 1066 the most significant battle on English soil – and arguably the most important in British history – took place some six miles northwest of Hastings. A king would die on the battlefield and a new dynasty would be established. The fighting exemplified the superiority of an all-arms combined attack employing foot soldiers, cavalry and archers against massed infantry. To understand what happened and why – read Battle Story. Photographs of the battlefield today, artist’s interpretations and of course reproductions from the Bayeux tapestry place you in the centre of the action. Easy-to-read maps plot each development in the struggle. Descriptions of the weaponry, armour and tactics of the combatants help explain why the famous housecarls of England were obliterated for all time. Packed with fact boxes, this short introduction is the perfect way to explore a turning point in British and European history.

Battle Story: Hastings 1066

Fought on 14th October 1066 between Duke William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson, king of England, the Battle of Hastings irrevocably changed the course of English history. William's victory ensured his accession to the English throne. Hastings was also decisive in another way: the horrendous casualties suffered by the English nobility both there and at the two earlier battles of Fulford and Stamford Bridge resulted in there being very few men influential enough to lead an English resistance once William had been crowned. William would survive long enough to successfully found a Norman dynasty of English kings.

Hastings 1066

The Battle of Hastings is one of the key events in the history of the British Isles. This book is not merely another attempt to describe what happened at Hastings - that has already been done supremely well by many others - but instead to highlight two issues: how little we actually know for certain about the battle, and how the popular understanding of 14 October 1066 has been shaped by the concerns of later periods. It looks not just at perennial themes such as how did Harold die and why did the English lose, but also at other crucial issues such as the diplomatic significance of William of Normandy's claim to the English throne, the Norman attempt to secure papal support, and the extent to which the Norman and Anglo-Saxon armies represented diametrically opposed military systems. This study will be of great interest to all historians, students and teachers of history and is illustrated with 10 colour and 10 black & white photographs.

Mythical Battle

Der teppichs von Bayeux und die schlacht

The real story behind the best-known—and least-understood—battle in British history. If ever there was a year of destiny for the British Isles, 1066 must have a strong claim. King Harold faced invasion not just from William and the Normans across the English Channel, but from King Harald Hardrada of Norway. Before he fought the Normans at Hastings in October, he had fought at York and neighboring Stamford Bridge in September. It was a year of dramatic changes of fortune, heroic marches, assaults by land and sea. This concise history, with maps included, tells the full story.

1066 remains the most evocative date in English history: King Harold was defeated by William the Conqueror, and the rule of England passed abruptly from the control of Saxon to that of Norman kings. M.K. Lawson re-writes this pivotal turning point in English history by subjecting the sources to the most detailed analysis ever undertaken. As a ......

A unique collection of materials focused on one of the most significant battles in European history.

The battle in which the destruction of the shield wall changed Western Europe forever. In 1066, a foreign invader won the throne of England in a single battle and changed not only the history of the British Isles but of Christendom forever. Harold Godwinson’s army, exhausted from their victory against an invading Norwegian Viking army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in the north, and his navy, scattered by storms, could not hold back William of Normandy. But would the invasion have succeeded if the two armies had met on equal terms? Author and ex-Captain in the Royal Anglian Regiment Jonathan Trigg brings a soldier’s eye to the story to explain the precise circumstances of the conflict and the reasons for the outcome. The Battle of Hastings is in fact a tactical lesson in the use of all arms: Harold’s forces consisted entirely of infantry. William had the best cavalry in Europe, perhaps the world, heavily armoured and armed with lance and shield. He also had crossbowmen, never before seen in England. This book gives a clear, concise account of the Battle of Hastings and the events that influenced it, supported by a timeline of events and orders of battle. Over fifty images illustrate the events during this momentous campaign.

The Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066, changed the course of English history. This most famous moment of the Norman Conquest was recorded in graphic detail in the threads of the Bayeux Tapestry, providing a priceless glimpse into a brutal conflict. In this fresh look at the battle and its surrounding campaigns, leading medieval military historians Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries combine the imagery of the tapestry with the latest modern investigative research to reveal the story of Hastings as it has never been told and guide visitors around the battlefield today. This absorbing new account of the battle will be fascinating reading for anyone keen to find out what really happened in 1066: the journeys by which Harold Godwinson and William of Normandy came to the battlefield, and the latest reconstructions of the course of the fighting on that momentous day. It is also a practical, easy-to-use guide for visitors to the sites associated with the conquest as well as the Hastings battlefield itself.

For more than 900 years the Bayeux Tapestry has preserved one of history's greatest dramas: the Norman Conquest of England, culminating in the death of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Historians have held for centuries that the majestic tapestry trumpets the glory of William the Conqueror and the victorious Normans. But is this true? In 1066, a brilliant piece of historical detective work, Andrew Bridgeford reveals a very different story that reinterprets and recasts the most decisive year in English history. Reading the tapestry as if it were a written text, Bridgeford discovers a wealth of new information subversively and ingeniously encoded in the threads, which appears to undermine the Norman point of view while presenting a secret tale undetected for centuries-an account of the final years of Anglo-Saxon England quite different from the Norman version. Bridgeford brings alive the turbulent 11th century in western Europe, a world of ambitious warrior bishops, court dwarfs, ruthless knights, and powerful women. 1066 offers readers a rare surprise-a book that reconsiders a long-accepted masterpiece, and sheds new light on a pivotal chapter of English history.

King Harold Godwineson is one of history's shadowy figures, known mainly for his defeat and death at the Battle of Hastings. His true status and achievements have been overshadowed by the events of October 1066 and by the bias imposed by the Norman victory. In truth, he deserves to be recalled as one of the greatest rulers. Harold: The Last Anglo-Saxon King sets out to correct this distorted image by presenting Harold's life in its proper context, offering the first full-length critical study of his career in the years leading up to 1066. Ian Walker's carefully researched critique allows the reader to realistically assess the lives of both Harold and his rival William, significantly enhancing our knowledge of both.

Harold

While the date 1066 is familiar to almost everybody as the year of the Norman conquest of England, few can place the event in the context of the dramatic year in which it took place. In this book, David Howarth attempts to bring alive the struggle for the succession to the English crown from the death of Edward the Confessor in January 1066 to the Christmas coronation of Duke William of Normandy. There is an almost uncanny symmetry, as well as a relentlessly exciting surge, of events leading to and from the Battle of Hastings.

Who were the Normans and why did they invade England? What was it like to fight in the Battle of Hastings? How did the battle change the history of Britain? THE HISTORY DETECTIVE INVESTIGATES helps children discover the answers to these and other fascinating questions by visiting Norman castles and churches, looking on the Internet and finding clues about the Norman and Anglo-Saxon rulers of the past. The detective shows how to: Create a project about England in the dramatic year 1066. Discover the Norman past in your area. Find out what has been discovered about the Normans - and the Anglo-Saxons who fought them. There are also mysteries and puzzles to solve as you follow the detective's trail back to the Norman world.

The Normans and the Battle of Hastings

Harold and William tells the dramatic story of the battle between Harold Godwinson (c1022-1066) and William " the Conqueror" (1027-1087), Duke of Normandy for the crown and destiny of England.

Harold and William

This is the story of the two greatest warriors of their generation, both trained in armed combat. When Edward the Confessor dies without leaving an heir to the throne of England, the two men fight for the crown in a bloody battle that will change the course ofEnglish history forever...

In 1066 a great battle took place in England between the Anglo-Saxons and the invading Normans. Its result would determine a new course of history. There are some moments in history that are so dramatic or important that people remember them forever. In words and pictures, Gillian Clements tells the stories of these Great Events. These books are perfect for the emerging independent reader at upper Key Stage 1. Simple, narrative text with lively, informative line illustrations. Designed to encourage a sense of history, not just give the facts.

The Battle Of Hastings

In 1066 & The Battle of Hastings in a Nutshell, Charlie Fenton discusses one of the most important events in English history. Few know the details of why the battle happened and how Harold really lost his life, and even fewer know what happened afterwards, during the early reign of William the Conqueror.

1066 & the Battle of Hastings in a Nutshell

This guidebook provides a history of the Battle of Hastings and a tour of Battle Abbey, and an account of its foundation.

The Battle of Hastings and the Story of Battle Abbey

1066 in Perspective is a landmark publication offering a new interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of the Norman Conquest. Drawing upon research presented at the Tower of London on the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, the contributors, all of whom are scholars of international renown, examine 1066 from a wide range of perspectives: military, social, political, architectural, ecclesiastical, gender and art history. Published by the Royal Armouries, 1066 in Perspective is ideal for scholars, students and general readers wishing to understand the Norman Conquest in greater detail.

1066 in Perspective

Excerpt from The Battle of Hastings: A Tragedy May none but friends Approach thefe gates? What Wakeful man art thou, Whom bufy care provokes thus early forth. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Battle of Hastings is arguably the best-known and perhaps the most significant battle in English history. Its effects were deeply felt at the time, causing a lasting shift in cultural identity and national pride. In this detailed and engaging account, Jim Bradbury places the 1066 battle in its broader context and examines its far-reaching effects. He explores the full military background to the battle and investigates both our knowledge of what actually happened and the role that it plays in national myth. At its core, The Battle of Hastings offers a move-by-move reconstruction of the conflict, including the advanced planning, the site itself, the composition of the two armies and the use of archers, feigned flights, and the death of Harold Godwinson. This is a book that anyone interested in England's most famous battle will find indispensable.

The Battle of HastingsThe Battle of Hastings

Ever wondered what might have happened if William the Conqueror had been beaten at Hastings? Or if Harald Hardrada had won at Stamford Bridge? Then here is the perfect set of stories for you. ‘1066 Turned Upside Down’ explores a variety of ways in which the momentous year of 1066 could have played out differently.

1066 Turned Upside Down

The Battle of Hastings, a pivotal event in English history, occurred in 1066 when William the Conqueror's Norman forces clashed with Harold II's Anglo-Saxon army. This battle marked the end of Anglo-Saxon rule in England and the beginning of Norman dominance, leading to significant socio-political changes. William's victory at Hastings reshaped England's cultural landscape, resulting in the assimilation of Norman culture and language into English society, ultimately laying the foundation for the development of modern English as we know it today.

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Battle of Hastings

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