The End of England:

HasBy Neil Smith tings 1066 Anyone who reads history knows it is never neat and tidy. Ambiguity surrounds the most seemingly clear-cut events; the so-called great leaders tend to disappoint on closer scrutiny; and even eras and epochs rarely start or finish according to our pre-determined schedules. Historians traditionally believed, however, that ’s invasion of Anglo-Saxon England and his decisive defeat of King Harold at the was the exception to that rule. That notion prompted the classic spoof history title 1066 and All That by Sellar and Yeatman who parodied such “decisive” events in English history. Nevertheless, and at the risk of being mocked, it is difficult to find a more complete break between two eras than the Norman invasion and the subsequent battle near Hastings.

The Battle of Hastings (as seen in WI305), all models by Kallistra. England Becomes The Vikings did not limit themselves to The Great Debate attacking the British coast; they were Britain had become the prime destination was the richest man in for invading forces even before the equal opportunity raiders throughout England and had undertaken diplomatic Romans finally left in the 5th century. Europe and beyond. One region they missions for the dying king Edward. His The Jutes, Angles, and Saxons all successfully invaded was the French election to the crown by the penetrated into the interior to a greater coast opposite southern Britain. They council of English nobles was therefore or lesser extent by way of the convenient liked it so much they opted to stay and quite predictable and all neat and tidy. river system, while in the far north the there was not a lot the weak French Maybe it was just a bit too tidy, according Picts and Scots fought for supremacy. monarchy could do about it. In 911, to of Norway, and The British found themselves pushed the French king, Charles the Simple, William of Normandy. They each had further and further west until the Welsh wisely decided to come to terms with their own ideas of who should be king. highlands provided them with some the invaders under their leader, Rollo. In Harald’s claim was based on a promise security and a base for counter-attacking return for protection, these “northmen” given by a previous English King, operations. Time passed and invaders of could keep their lands, and so the Canute, he of tidal prevention infamy. this new England became settlers and Norsemen became Normans living England, argued Harald, should therefore defenders against more invasions, this be tied to Norway. William’s claim also in Normandy. Throughout the rest of time from the rapacious Vikings from lay in a promise, this time from Harold that century, the Normans flexed their Scandinavia. The Norsemen eventually Godwinson himself, who the Normans muscles, improving their status at the settled too even as they continued to now labelled a usurper. Apparently, expand south and west, fighting the expense of their neighbours. At the when Harold had been on one of his Anglo-Saxons all the way. The furnace beginning of the new millennium, the diplomacy tours a few years previously, of war created by these invasions finally Normans and English came together he had been taken prisoner by a Norman ossified as neither side could find the in a dynastic marriage between King noble. William rescued Harold and in telling blow that would secure them Aethelred and the Duke of Normandy’s return asked for and was granted the the whole country. That left the country daughter Emma. Their son was Edward Englishman’s fealty. Furthermore, Harold split between the Anglo-Saxons and the the Confessor who came to the throne would act as William’s agent in England Viking controlled Danegeld region of in 1042 and brought over many Norman and support his claim for the throne. the north-east. Anglo-Saxon counter- advisors. However, he also had to Whatever case either the Norwegian or expansion and cultural assimilation cooperate with the powerful Anglo-Saxon Norman had against him, Harold took over more than a century meant that by the crown and they would have to pry it the 11th century, England had therefore Godwins. When the childless Edward died, it was the Godwins who occupied from his cold, dead hands. As the months more or less fused into a single, if dragged by in 1066, Harald and William uncomfortable, political and economic pole position for the English crown, set about doing just that. state with a single dominant king. At but the Normans believed they had the the beginning of 1066, that king was the legitimate claim in the person of William Harald was first off the mark. He sailed in ailing . the Bastard, Duke of Normandy. early September with 15,000 men in 300

Action from our Isle of Ely battle in WI305, against Coleswain of Lincoln. Artist’s impression of the Battle of Hastings, from the cover of WI305.

ships and landed in the north of England. The northern showdown took place at and William landed unopposed on the Harold’s exiled brother, Toscar, was there Stamford Bridge on 25 September and it beach at on 28 September. It to meet the Norwegian contender with was a fatigued and blood-soaked English was not long before Norman knights rode open arms while Harold’s northern earls army that ended the day victorious. out across the nearby country to wreak Edwin and raced to prevent them Harald and Tostig lay dead and very few havoc. Harold, who by now was back in reaching . The news of Harald’s Norwegians made it home to tell the London, had no choice but to march his arrival could not have come at a worse story. weary army out to fight again. time for the English king. He had spent The Battle for England The English king marched rapidly down his summer with his army mustered on towards Hastings on the south coast, the south coast, waiting for William’s That left William. If Harold thought the hoping to catch the Normans on the expected invasion. When that had not Norman threat had receded until the hop as he had caught the Norwegians. happened by 8 September, Harold following Spring he could not have been Instead, Harold’s scouting parties dismissed his army to go back to their more wrong. In fact, William had been reported William approaching with his farms. Two weeks later, he was hastily kicking his heels across the Channel since whole army only a few miles distant. gathering troops on his way north after early August, but typically uncharitable He moved the Saxon army on to nearby news came in of Edwin and Morcar’s late season weather and the ever-present Senlac Hill where his shield-wall could defeat at the Battle of Fulford. Harold’s threat of the English fleet prevented be used to its greatest effect and blunt arrival with a few thousand heavily an early invasion. It was a fortunate the Norman superiority in cavalry. The armed friends shocked the Norwegians, coincidence for the Normans then that armies clashed on the morning of 14 but they grabbed their shields and a window for invasion opened almost October. The Normans advanced under weapons and made ready to fight. immediately after Harold’s great victory, an umbrella of arrows which the Saxons, army behind them. The Normans Norman knights by with few archers of their own, could not feigned retreat two times, pulling Crusader Miniatures. hope to match. Rather, the English stood the English out of position, but resolutely behind their heavy, wooden still the Saxons held the hill. shields and braced for the assault. The Fate now took a hand, however, Norman troops launched themselves at opening an avenue to the the thrusting spears and hacking axes of English king into which the Saxons but could make no headway. Normans poured, killing Again and again they came on in wave Harold. English defiance after wave but still could not break the crumbled; their king dead English line. After one such charge, and the battle lost. Despite fearing all might be lost, and wary of some limited opposition, losing more men for a Norman cause, William’s march to Westminster some of William’s Breton contingent and the crown of England became broke and ran. Harold’s jubilant but ill- a procession, and with that, disciplined soldiers cheered and charged 500 years of English after the Bretons down the hill and into history came to a the open. What the Normans had failed sudden, jolting end. to breech, therefore, the Saxons had dismantled. The Norman cavalry seized the moment, charging into the now exposed Saxons while William rallied his

Artist’s impression of an attack by Hereward’s outlaws on a group of Norman knights in Ely.