5. Why did the Normans win the Battle of Hastings?
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 15-06-17 14:43
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- 5. Why did the Normans win the Battle of Hastings?
- Harold
- 1000 housecarls and fyrd
- Shield wall
- William
- Gathered 700 ships
- Ravaged Wessex to provoke Harold
- Feigned attacked (pretend retreats)
- Flexibility of army
- Archers had good tactics (high in the sky)
- Logistics (movement of troops and resources)
- William had 700 ships
- Efficient invasion
- Different types of ships for different types of men.
- Readymade castle
- Harold's mistakes
- Abandoned south of country to go north to fight Norwegians leaving heartland in south undefended
- Harold hurried too quickly back from North leaving his men tired and not allowing time for thegns to gather from across kingdom
- Failed to take opportunity to gather reinforcements/rest
- Probably overconfident and complacent after defeating Vikings
- Did not need to rush into battle
- Could have starved William out
- Harold could have lacked military skills to adapt to the battle
- No archers
- Harold limited himself by staying at the top of the hill
- Weaknesses of English army
- Restless men from waiting
- Had to collect harvest
- Suggestion equipment or methods of fighting were out of date (no use of archers or horses)
- Also, if housecarls had been in front line (many killed at Stamford bridge) order and the shield wall would not have broken down when the Normans appeared to retreat
- Fyrd - low morale
- English army had no archers
- Restless men from waiting
- William's strengths
- William had horses (therefore cavalry)
- William was a good general
- Recruited large enough force to embark on invasion (had reputation as leader of knights)
- Experience of dealing with disaffected kinsmen and knowledge of cavalry
- Early campaigns gave value of discipline
- Pivotal role at Hastings
- Large number of military techniques
- Most important was to feign retreat of cavalry
- Great use of modern techniques
- Archers
- Cavalry
- Horses
- Holy War
- Encouraged people to sign up
- Guaranteed place in afterlife
- Papal banner provided psychological impetus as army believed God was on their side
- William survived battle despite being unhorsed three times
- Papal support brought men from other areas of France and beyond (Aquitaine and colonies of Sicily)
- Encouraged people to sign up
- Luck
- Harold was unfortunate to face two invasions in same year
- Invasions so close together, prevented Harold from recovering or putting together a larger force
- Bad luck Harold had to keep army and navy mobilised for so long and invasions struck so soon after they were demoblised
- Unfortunate for Harold direction of wind changed allowing Norman invasions to occur at moment Harold defeated Norwegians (though William was positioned at mouth of River Somme meaning a shorter crossing)
- Further delays for Normans might have meant invasion never happened (William wouldn't have been able to amass a force easily in 1067)
- William had luck as position of his army was vulnerable
- William was knocked off his horse three times (survived Harold's forces and was not trampled by his own cavalry)
- Norman morale raised
- Harold was killed leading to breaking up of his forces (only housecarls fought on while fyrd broke up)
- Harold
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