Battle of Hastings The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman - French army of Duke William II of Normandy and an English army under the Anglo - Saxon King Harold II , during the Norman conquest of England . It took place approximately north - west of Hastings , close to the present - day town of Battle , East Sussex , and was a decisive Norman victory . The background to the battle was the death of the childless King Edward the Confessor in January 1066 , which set up a succession struggle between several claimants to his throne . Harold was crowned king shortly after Edward ' s death , but faced invasions by William , his own brother Tostig and the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada ( Harold III of Norway ) . Hardrada and Tostig defeated a hastily gathered army of Englishmen at the Battle of Fulford on 20 September 1066 , and were in turn defeated by Harold at the Battle of Stamford Bridge five days later . The deaths of Tostig and Hardrada at Stamford left William as Harold ' s only serious opponent . While Harold and his forces were recovering from Stamford , William landed his invasion forces in the south of England at Pevensey on 28 September 1066 and established a beachhead for his conquest of the kingdom . Harold was forced to march south swiftly , gathering forces as he went . The exact numbers present at the battle are unknown ; estimates are around 10 , 000 for William and about 7000 for Harold . The composition of the forces is clearer ; the English army was composed almost entirely of infantry and had few archers , whereas about half of the invading force was infantry , the rest split equally between cavalry and archers . Harold appears to have tried to surprise William , but scouts found his army and reported its arrival to William , who marched from Hastings to the battlefield to confront Harold . The battle lasted from about 9 am to dusk . Early efforts of the invaders to break the English battle lines had little effect , therefore the Normans adopted the tactic of pretending to flee in panic and then turning on their pursuers . Harold ' s death , probably near the end of the battle , led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army . After further marching and some skirmishes , William was crowned as king on Christmas Day 1066 . Although there continued to be rebellions and resistance to William ' s rule , Hastings effectively marked the culmination of William ' s conquest of England . Casualty figures are hard to come by , but some historians estimate that 2000 invaders died along with about twice that number of Englishmen . William founded a monastery at the site of the battle , the high altar of the abbey church supposedly placed at the spot where Harold died . Background . In 911 the French Carolingian ruler Charles the Simple allowed a group of Vikings under their leader Rollo to settle in Normandy . Their settlement proved successful , and they quickly adapted to the indigenous culture , renouncing paganism , converting to Christianity , and intermarrying with the local population . Over time , the frontiers of the duchy expanded to the west . In 1002 King Æthelred II of England married Emma , the sister of Richard II , Duke of Normandy . Their son Edward the Confessor , who spent many years in exile in Normandy , succeeded to the English throne in 1042 . This led to the establishment of a powerful Norman interest in English politics , as Edward drew heavily on his former hosts for support , bringing in Norman courtiers , soldiers , and clerics and appointing them to positions of power , particularly in the Church . Childless and embroiled in conflict with the formidable Godwin , Earl of Wessex and his sons , Edward may also have encouraged Duke William of Normandy ' s ambitions for the English throne . Succession crisis in England . Following King Edward ' s death on 5 January 1066 , the lack of a clear heir led to a disputed succession in which several contenders laid claim to the throne of England . Edward ' s immediate successor was the Earl of Wessex , Harold Godwinson , the richest and most powerful of the English aristocrats and son of Godwin , Edward ' s earlier opponent . Harold was elected king by the Witenagemot of England and crowned by the Archbishop of York , Ealdred , although Norman propaganda claimed the ceremony was performed by Stigand , the uncanonically elected Archbishop of Canterbury . Harold was at once challenged by two powerful neighbouring rulers . Duke William claimed that he had been promised the throne by King Edward and that Harold had sworn agreement to this . Harald III of Norway , commonly known as Harald Hardrada , also contested the succession . His claim to the throne was based on an agreement between his predecessor Magnus I of Norway , and the earlier King of England Harthacanute , whereby if either died without heir the other would inherit both England and Norway . William and Harald immediately set about assembling troops and ships for separate invasions . Tostig and Hardrada ' s invasions . In early 1066 , Harold ' s exiled brother Tostig Godwinson raided south - eastern England with a fleet he had recruited in Flanders , later joined by other ships from Orkney . Threatened by Harold ' s fleet , Tostig moved north and raided in East Anglia and Lincolnshire . He was driven back to his ships by the brothers Edwin , Earl of Mercia , and Morcar , Earl of Northumbria . Deserted by most of his followers , he withdrew to Scotland , where he spent the middle of the year recruiting fresh forces . King Harald III of Norway invaded northern England in early September , leading a fleet of more than 300 ships carrying perhaps 15 , 000 men . Harald ' s army was further augmented by the forces of Tostig , who supported the Norwegian king ' s bid for the throne . Advancing on York , the Norwegians occupied the city after defeating a northern English army under Edwin and Morcar on 20 September at the Battle of Fulford . English army and Harold ' s preparations . The English army was organised along regional lines , with the " fyrd " , or local levy , serving under a local magnate – whether an earl , bishop , or sheriff . The " fyrd " was composed of men who owned their own land , and were equipped by their community to fulfil the king ' s demands for military forces . For every five hides , or units of land nominally capable of supporting one household , one man was supposed to serve . It appears that the hundred was the main organising unit for the " fyrd " . As a whole , England could furnish about 14 , 000 men for the " fyrd " , when it was called out . The " fyrd " usually served for two months , except in emergencies . It was rare for the whole national " fyrd " to be called out ; between 1046 and 1065 it was only done three times , in 1051 , 1052 , and 1065 . The king also had a group of personal armsmen , known as housecarl s , who formed the backbone of the royal forces . Some earls also had their own forces of housecarls . Thegn s , the local landowning elites , fought either with the royal housecarls or attached themselves to the forces of an earl or other magnate . The " fyrd " and the housecarls both fought on foot , with the major difference between them being the housecarl ' s superior armour . The English army does not appear to have had a significant number of archers . Harold had spent mid - 1066 on the south coast with a large army and fleet waiting for William to invade . The bulk of his forces were militia who needed to harvest their crops , so on 8 September Harold dismissed the militia and the fleet . Learning of the Norwegian invasion he rushed north , gathering forces as he went , and took the Norwegians by surprise , defeating them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September . Harald of Norway and Tostig were killed , and the Norwegians suffered such great losses that only 24 of the original 300 ships were required to carry away the survivors . The English victory came at great cost , as Harold ' s army was left in a battered and weakened state . William ' s preparations and landing . William assembled a large invasion fleet and an army gathered from Normandy and the rest of France , including large contingents from Brittany and Flanders . He spent almost nine months on his preparations , as he had to construct a fleet from nothing . According to some Norman chronicles , he also secured diplomatic support , although the accuracy of the reports has been a matter of historical debate . The most famous claim is that Pope Alexander II gave a papal banner as a token of support , which only appears in William of Poitiers ' s account , and not in more contemporary narratives . In April 1066 Halley ' s Comet appeared in the sky , and was widely reported throughout Europe . Contemporary accounts connected the comet ' s appearance with the succession crisis in England . William mustered his forces at Saint - Valery - sur - Somme , and was ready to cross the English Channel by about 12 August . But the crossing was delayed , either because of unfavourable weather or to avoid being intercepted by the powerful English fleet . The Normans crossed to England a few days after Harold ' s victory over the Norwegians , following the dispersal of Harold ' s naval force , and landed at Pevensey in Sussex on 28 September . A few ships were blown off course and landed at Romney , where the Normans fought the local " fyrd " . After landing , William ' s forces built a wooden castle at Hastings , from which they raided the surrounding area . More fortifications were erected at Pevensey . Norman forces at Hastings . The exact numbers and composition of William ' s force are unknown . A contemporary document claims that William had 776 ships , but this may be an inflated figure . Figures given by contemporary writers are highly exaggerated , varying from 14 , 000 to 150 , 000 . Modern historians have offered a range of estimates for the size of William ' s forces : 7000 – 8000 men , 1000 – 2000 of them cavalry ; 10 , 000 – 12 , 000 men ; 10 , 000 men , 3000 of them cavalry ; or 7500 men . The army consisted of cavalry , infantry , and archers or crossbowmen , with about equal numbers of cavalry and archers and the foot soldiers equal in number to the other two types combined . Later lists of companions of William the Conqueror are extant , but most are padded with extra names ; only about 35 named individuals can be reliably identified as having been with William at Hastings . The main armour used was chainmail hauberks , usually knee - length , with slits to allow riding , some with sleeves to the elbows . Some hauberks may have been made of scales attached to a tunic , with the scales made of metal , horn or hardened leather . Headgear was usually a conical metal helmet with a band of metal extending down to protect the nose . Horsemen and infantry carried shields . The infantryman ' s shield was usually round and made of wood , with reinforcement of metal . Horsemen had changed to a kite - shaped shield and were usually armed with a lance . The couched lance , carried tucked against the body under the right arm , was a relatively new refinement and was probably not used at Hastings ; the terrain was unfavourable for long cavalry charges . Both the infantry and cavalry usually fought with a straight sword , long and double - edged . The infantry could also use javelins and long spears . Some of the cavalry may have used a mace instead of the sword . Archers would have used a self bow or a crossbow , and most would not have had armour . Harold moves south . After defeating his brother Tostig and Harald Hardrada in the north , Harold left much of his forces in the north , including Morcar and Edwin , and marched the rest of his army south to deal with the threatened Norman invasion . It is unclear when Harold learned of William ' s landing , but it was probably while he was travelling south . Harold stopped in London , and was there for about a week before Hastings , so it is likely that he spent about a week on his march south , averaging about per day , for the approximately . Harold camped at Caldbec Hill on the night of 13 October , near what was described as a " hoar - apple tree " . This location was about from William ' s castle at Hastings . Some of the early contemporary French accounts mention an emissary or emissaries sent by Harold to William , which is likely . Nothing came of these efforts . Although Harold attempted to surprise the Normans , William ' s scouts reported the English arrival to the duke . The exact events preceding the battle are obscure , with contradictory accounts in the sources , but all agree that William led his army from his castle and advanced towards the enemy . Harold had taken a defensive position at the top of Senlac Hill ( present - day Battle , East Sussex ) , about from William ' s castle at Hastings . English forces at Hastings . The exact number of soldiers in Harold ' s army is unknown . The contemporary records do not give reliable figures ; some Norman sources give 400 , 000 to 1 , 200 , 000 men on Harold ' s side . The English sources generally give very low figures for Harold ' s army , perhaps to make the English defeat seem less devastating . Recent historians have suggested figures of between 5000 and 13 , 000 for Harold ' s army at Hastings , and most modern historians argue for a figure of 7000 – 8000 English troops . These men would have been a mix of the " fyrd " and housecarls . Few individual Englishmen are known to have been at Hastings ; about 20 named individuals can reasonably be assumed to have fought with Harold at Hastings , including Harold ' s brothers Gyrth and Leofwine and two other relatives . The English army consisted entirely of infantry . It is possible that some of the higher class members of the army rode to battle , but when battle was joined they dismounted to fight on foot . The core of the army was made up of housecarls , full - time professional soldiers . Their armour consisted of a conical helmet , a mail hauberk , and a shield , which might be either kite - shaped or round . Most housecarls fought with the two - handed Danish battleaxe , but they could also carry a sword . The rest of the army was made up of levies from the " fyrd " , also infantry but more lightly armoured and not professionals . Most of the infantry would have formed part of the shield wall , in which all the men in the front ranks locked their shields together . Behind them would have been axemen and men with javelins as well as archers . Battle . Background and location . Because many of the primary accounts contradict each other at times , it is impossible to provide a description of the battle that is beyond dispute . The only undisputed facts are that the fighting began at 9 am on Saturday 14 October 1066 and that the battle lasted until dusk . Sunset on the day of the battle was at 4 : 54 pm , with the battlefield mostly dark by 5 : 54 pm and in full darkness by 6 : 24 pm . Moonrise that night was not until 11 : 12 pm , so once the sun set , there was little light on the battlefield . William of Jumieges reports that Duke William kept his army armed and ready against a surprise night attack for the entire night before . The battle took place north of Hastings at the present - day town of Battle , between two hills – Caldbec Hill to the north and Telham Hill to the south . The area was heavily wooded , with a marsh nearby . The name traditionally given to the battle is unusual – there were several settlements much closer to the battlefield than Hastings . The " Anglo - Saxon Chronicle " called it the battle " at the hoary apple tree " . Within 40 years , the battle was also known as " Senlac " , a Norman - French adaptation of the Old English word " Sandlacu " , which means " sandy water " . This may have been the name of the stream that crosses the battlefield . The battle was already being referred to as " bellum Hasestingas " or " Battle of Hastings " by 1087 , in the " Domesday Book " . Sunrise was at 6 : 48 am that morning , and reports of the day record that it was unusually bright . The weather conditions are not recorded . The route that the English army took to the battlefield is not known precisely . Several roads are possible : one , an old Roman road that ran from Rochester to Hastings has long been favoured because of a large coin hoard found nearby in 1876 . Another possibility is a Roman road between London and Lewes and then over local tracks to the battlefield . Some accounts of the battle indicate that the Normans advanced from Hastings to the battlefield , but the contemporary account of William of Jumieges places the Normans at the site of the battle the night before . Most historians incline towards the former view , but M . K . Lawson argues that William of Jumieges ' s account is correct . Dispositions of forces and tactics . Most recent historians conclude that Harold ' s forces deployed in a small , dense formation around the top of Caldbec Hill , with their flanks protected by woods and a stream and marshy ground in front of them . Lawson points out the possibility that the English line was a bit longer and extended enough to anchor on one of the streams nearby . The English formed a shield wall , with the front ranks holding their shields close together or even overlapping to provide protection from attack . More is known about the Norman deployment . Duke William appears to have arranged his forces in three groups , or " battles " , which roughly corresponded to their origins . The left units were the Bretons , along with those from Anjou , Poitou and Maine . This division was led by Alan the Red , a relative of the Breton count . The centre was held by the Normans , under the direct command of the duke and with many of his relatives and kinsmen grouped around the ducal party . The final division on the right consisted of the Frenchmen , along with some men from Picardy , Boulogne , and Flanders . The right was commanded by William fitzOsbern and Count Eustace II of Boulogne . The front lines were archers with a line of foot soldiers armed with spears behind . There were probably a few crossbowmen and slingers in with the archers . The cavalry was held in reserve , and a small group of clergymen and servants situated at the base of Telham Hill was not expected to take part in the fighting . William ' s disposition of his forces implies that he planned to open the battle with archers in the front rank weakening the enemy with arrows , followed by infantry who would engage in close combat . The infantry would create openings in the English lines that could be exploited by a cavalry charge to break through the English forces and pursue the fleeing soldiers . Beginning of the battle . The battle opened with the Norman archers shooting uphill at the English shield wall , to little effect . The uphill angle meant that the arrows either bounced off the shields of the English or overshot their targets and flew over the top of the hill . The lack of English archers hampered the Norman archers , as there were few English arrows to be gathered up and reused . After the attack from the archers , William sent the spearmen forward to attack the English . They were met with a barrage of missiles , not arrows but spears , axes and stones . The infantry was unable to force openings in the shield wall , and the cavalry advanced in support . The cavalry also failed to make headway , and a general retreat began , blamed on the Breton division on William ' s left . A rumour started that the duke had been killed , which added to the confusion . The English forces began to pursue the fleeing invaders , but William rode through his forces , showing his face and yelling that he was still alive . The duke then led a counter - attack against the pursuing English forces ; some of the English rallied on a hillock before being overwhelmed . It is not known whether the English pursuit was ordered by Harold or if it was spontaneous . Wace relates that Harold ordered his men to stay in their formations but no other account gives this detail . The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the death of Harold ' s brothers Gyrth and Leofwine occurring just before the fight around the hillock . This may mean that the two brothers led the pursuit . The " Carmen de Hastingae Proelio " relates a different story for the death of Gyrth , stating that the duke slew Harold ' s brother in combat , perhaps thinking that Gyrth was Harold . William of Poitiers states that the bodies of Gyrth and Leofwine were found near Harold ' s , implying that they died late in the battle . It is possible that if the two brothers died early in the fighting their bodies were taken to Harold , thus accounting for their being found near his body after the battle . The military historian Peter Marren speculates that if Gyrth and Leofwine died early in the battle , that may have influenced Harold to stand and fight to the end . Feigned flights . A lull probably occurred early in the afternoon , and a break for rest and food would probably have been needed . William may have also needed time to implement a new strategy , which may have been inspired by the English pursuit and subsequent rout by the Normans . If the Normans could send their cavalry against the shield wall and then draw the English into more pursuits , breaks in the English line might form . William of Poitiers says the tactic was used twice . Although arguments have been made that the chroniclers ' accounts of this tactic were meant to excuse the flight of the Norman troops from battle , this is unlikely as the earlier flight was not glossed over . It was a tactic used by other Norman armies during the period . Some historians have argued that the story of the use of feigned flight as a deliberate tactic was invented after the battle ; most historians agree that it was used by the Normans at Hastings . Although the feigned flights did not break the lines , they probably thinned out the housecarls in the English shield wall . The housecarls were replaced with members of the " fyrd " , and the shield wall held . Archers appear to have been used again before and during an assault by the cavalry and infantry led by the duke . Although 12th - century sources state that the archers were ordered to shoot at a high angle to shoot over the front of the shield wall , there is no trace of such an action in the more contemporary accounts . It is not known how many assaults were launched against the English lines , but some sources record various actions by both Normans and Englishmen that took place during the afternoon ' s fighting . The " Carmen " claims that Duke William had two horses killed under him during the fighting , but William of Poitiers ' s account states that it was three . Death of Harold . Harold appears to have died late in the battle , although accounts in the various sources are contradictory . William of Poitiers only mentions his death , without giving any details on how it occurred . The Tapestry is not helpful , as it shows a figure holding an arrow sticking out of his eye next to a falling fighter being hit with a sword . Over both figures is a statement " Here King Harold has been killed " . It is not clear which figure is meant to be Harold , or if both are meant . The earliest written mention of the traditional account of Harold dying from an arrow to the eye dates to the 1080s from a history of the Normans written by an Italian monk , Amatus of Montecassino . William of Malmesbury stated that Harold died from an arrow to the eye that went into the brain , and that a knight wounded Harold at the same time . Wace repeats the arrow - to - the - eye account . The " Carmen " states that Duke William killed Harold , but this is unlikely , as such a feat would have been recorded elsewhere . The account of William of Jumièges is even more unlikely , as it has Harold dying in the morning , during the first fighting . The " Chronicle of Battle Abbey " states that no one knew who killed Harold , as it happened in the press of battle . A modern biographer of Harold , Ian Walker , states that Harold probably died from an arrow in the eye , although he also says it is possible that Harold was struck down by a Norman knight while mortally wounded in the eye . Another biographer of Harold , Peter Rex , after discussing the various accounts , concludes that it is not possible to declare how Harold died . Harold ' s death left the English forces leaderless , and they began to collapse . Many of them fled , but the soldiers of the royal household gathered around Harold ' s body and fought to the end . The Normans began to pursue the fleeing troops , and except for a rearguard action at a site known as the " Malfosse " , the battle was over . Exactly what happened at the Malfosse , or " Evil Ditch " , and where it took place , is unclear . It occurred at a small fortification or set of trenches where some Englishmen rallied and seriously wounded Eustace of Boulogne before being destroyed by Duke William . Reasons for the outcome . Harold ' s defeat was probably due to several circumstances . One was the need to defend against two almost simultaneous invasions . The fact that Harold had dismissed his forces in southern England on 8 September also contributed to the defeat . Many historians fault Harold for hurrying south and not gathering more forces before confronting William at Hastings , although it is not clear that the English forces were insufficient to deal with William ' s forces . Against these arguments for an exhausted English army , the length of the battle , which lasted an entire day , show that the English forces were not tired by their long march . Tied in with the speed of Harold ' s advance to Hastings is the possibility Harold may not have trusted Earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria once their enemy Tostig had been defeated , and declined to bring them and their forces south . Modern historians have pointed out that one reason for Harold ' s rush to battle was to contain William ' s depredations and keep him from breaking free of his beachhead . Most of the blame for the defeat probably lies in the events of the battle . William was the more experienced military leader , and in addition the lack of cavalry on the English side allowed Harold fewer tactical options . Some writers have criticised Harold for not exploiting the opportunity offered by the rumoured death of William early in the battle . The English appear to have erred in not staying strictly on the defence , for when they pursued the retreating Normans they exposed their flanks to attack . Whether this was due to the inexperience of the English commanders or the indiscipline of the English soldiers is unclear . In the end , Harold ' s death appears to have been decisive , as it signalled the break - up of the English forces in disarray . The historian David Nicolle said of the battle that William ' s army " demonstrated – not without difficulty – the superiority of Norman - French mixed cavalry and infantry tactics over the Germanic - Scandinavian infantry traditions of the Anglo - Saxons . " Aftermath . The day after the battle , Harold ' s body was identified , either by his armour or marks on his body . His personal standard was presented to William , and later sent to the papacy . The bodies of the English dead , including some of Harold ' s brothers and his housecarls , were left on the battlefield , although some were removed by relatives later . The Norman dead were buried in a large communal grave , which has not been found . Exact casualty figures are unknown . Of the Englishmen known to be at the battle , the number of dead implies that the death rate was about 50 per cent of those engaged , although this may be too high . Of the named Normans who fought at Hastings , one in seven is stated to have died , but these were all noblemen , and it is probable that the death rate among the common soldiers was higher . Although Orderic Vitalis ' s figures are highly exaggerated , his ratio of one in four casualties may be accurate . Marren speculates that perhaps 2000 Normans and 4000 Englishmen were killed at Hastings . One story relates that Gytha , Harold ' s mother , offered the victorious duke the weight of her son ' s body in gold for its custody , but was refused . William ordered that Harold ' s body be thrown into the sea , but whether that took place is unclear . Another story relates that Harold was buried at the top of a cliff . Waltham Abbey , which had been founded by Harold , later claimed that his body had been secretly buried there . Other legends claimed that Harold did not die at Hastings , but escaped and became a hermit at Chester . William expected to receive the submission of the surviving English leaders after his victory , but instead Edgar the Ætheling was proclaimed king by the Witenagemot , with the support of Earls Edwin and Morcar , Stigand , the Archbishop of Canterbury , and Ealdred , the Archbishop of York . William therefore advanced on London , marching around the coast of Kent . He defeated an English force that attacked him at Southwark but was unable to storm London Bridge , forcing him to reach the capital by a more circuitous route . William moved up the Thames valley to cross the river at Wallingford , where he received the submission of Stigand . He then travelled north - east along the Chilterns , before advancing towards London from the north - west , fighting further engagements against forces from the city . The English leaders surrendered to William at Berkhamsted , Hertfordshire . William was acclaimed King of England and crowned by Ealdred on 25 December 1066 , in Westminster Abbey . Despite the submission of the English nobles , resistance continued to erupt for several years . There were rebellions in Exeter in late 1067 , an invasion by Harold ' s sons in mid - 1068 , and an uprising in Northumbria in 1068 . In 1069 William faced more troubles from Northumbrian rebels , an invading Danish fleet , and rebellions in the south and west of England . He ruthlessly put down the various risings , culminating in the Harrying of the North in late 1069 and early 1070 that devastated parts of northern England . A further rebellion in 1070 by Hereward the Wake was also defeated by the king , at Ely . Battle Abbey was founded by William at the site of the battle . According to 12th - century sources , William made a vow to found the abbey , and the high altar of the church was placed at the site where Harold had died . More likely , the foundation was imposed on William by papal legates in 1070 . The topography of the battlefield has been altered by subsequent construction work for the abbey , and the slope defended by the English is now much less steep than it was at the time of the battle ; the top of the ridge has also been built up and levelled . After the Dissolution of the Monasteries , the abbey ' s lands passed to secular landowners , who used it as a residence or country house . In 1976 the estate was put up for sale and purchased by the government with the aid of some American donors who wished to honour the 200th anniversary of American independence . The battlefield and abbey grounds are currently owned and administered by English Heritage and are open to the public . The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered narrative of the events leading up to Hastings probably commissioned by Odo of Bayeux soon after the battle , perhaps to hang at the bishop ' s palace at Bayeux . In modern times annual reenactments of the Battle of Hastings have drawn thousands of participants and spectators to the site of the original battle .