Tactics: William’s army pretended to retreat, tempting Harold’s army into losing their strong defensive position to run after them. William’s army was then able to turn round and attack Harold’s weakened position.
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Could Harold have done anything differently to win?
* Harold could have waited longer before advancing to Hastings to fight William. This would have given his tired army longer to rest and also gather more soldiers.
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What happened after the Battle of Hastings?
Winning the Battle of Hastings was only the beginning of the Norman Conquest. It was a turbulent time for England, with three kings in one year. After William won the Battle of Hastings, his army had to capture
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The Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry was produced by the Normans following William’s conquest. Its origins are not known for certain, but some historians believe it was arranged by William’s half-brother, Odo, and sewn by English women.
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How is Harold presented in the Bayeux Tapestry?
It could be assumed that because Harold was defeated at the Battle of Hastings, he would be presented negatively by the victorious Normans in the Bayeux Tapestry. Instead, the tapestry is surprisingly kind t
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How did William rule?
After defeating Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, William of Normandy was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066. Taking the crown didn’t mean everyone in England supported him though, and he faced challenges in secu
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"I've persecuted the natives of England beyond all reason, whether gentle or simple. I have cruelly oppressed them and unjustly disinherited them, killed innumerable multitudes by famine or the sword and become the barbarous murderer of many thousands bot
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The Harrying of the North
Many Anglo-Saxons opposed the Norman Conquest and William faced a series of rebellions. The biggest rebellion was in York in 1069. It was led by Edgar the Atheling, and he was joined by Danish and Scottish armies. They were posin
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He was significantly less lenient with the English. In the north-east of England, from 1069 to 1070, William ordered villages to be burned to the ground, farm animals to be slaughtered, and crops to be destroyed. This is called the Harrying of the North.
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Anglo-Saxon women
Women feature far less frequently in medieval sources than men, but this does not mean they were absent from William's reign. Some historians have argued that there was more equality between women and men before the Norman Conquest. Befo
