Early Stalemate
The Battle of Hastings began with Norman archers futilely firing arrows uphill against the English. There were few English archers, so the Normans were in early danger of running out of arrows; the normal trick was to reuse the projectiles the enemy fired at you. William’s spearmen were the next to attack but once again, Harold’s defensive shield wall held firm; it also managed to keep the enemy cavalry at bay. The Normans retreated, and a rumor circulated that William was dead. Just as Harold’s men seemed set to overwhelm their enemy by launching their counterattack, William rode through the crowd shouting that he was still alive. The Normans attacked again and enjoyed some success.
The Fake Retreat
The fighting continued for several hours until both sides took advantage of a lull by eating, drinking and resting. William decided on a new strategy inspired by his minor victory earlier. His idea was to send the cavalry against the shield wall once again to draw the English out. If successful, cracks in the line would appear and give him the chance to make a breakthrough finally. Although the cavalry charge did not lure the English out of their defensive positions, it did weaken them.
The indefatigable Normans continued to launch attack after attack in a desperate bid to break the enemy’s resolve, and after several more hours, it finally worked. At some point, news of Harold’s death reached his men. The famous Bayeux Tapestry depicted Harold getting shot in the eye, but in reality, he probably died from the many wounds he sustained on the battlefield. The leaderless English army fell apart as most of them fled. Members of the royal house guard apparently fought to the last man as they sought to protect the king’s body.
One of the main reasons for Harold’s defeat was the fact he had to overcome two invasions in quick succession. Dismissing his militia was a terrible blunder as was leaving much of his army up north after winning at Stamford Bridge. Perhaps he was overconfident after his victory or else he underestimated William, but it is puzzling that he didn’t recruit more men before facing the Normans. Also, the English army was exhausted after traveling 200 miles in a week.
When it came to the battle, William had more experience in warfare and possessed a greater variety of troops. The cavalry he had at his disposal allowed for relentless charges which ultimately won him the battle. Harold should have taken advantage of early Norman confusion and the belief that William was dead. The English defensive shield wall was effective except when it was lured out and exposed its flanks. Ultimately, the death of Harold turned a battle of attrition into a rout. Overall, around 2,000 Normans died against up to 4,000 English soldiers.
Aftermath
There are differing accounts as to what happened to Harold’s body. One story says it is buried in Waltham Abbey; another says William threw it into the sea while yet another tale says it was buried on top of a cliff. William expected the English to submit immediately, but he had to fight a couple of more battles before achieving total victory at Berkhamsted. He was crowned King William I on Christmas Day 1066 in Westminster Abbey.
It took another four years for William to gain total control of England as he had to suppress a number of rebellions. Upon his victory, the new language of the court was French. The House of Normandy only ruled until 1135 when Henry I died without a legitimate male heir.