"Norman Conquest-Jesus Contreras"

William's later chroniclers claim (after the fact) that Edward the Confessor offered William the crown and sent Harold to pledge it to him in the Winter

Jan 1, 1065

In fact, reading between the lines we can see that Harold was shipwrecked in Normandy whilst trying to visit France, and took advantage of the situation by trying to secure the release of his brother & nephew who were held as hostages in the Norman court.

Key events prior to 1066

Period: Jan 1, 1065 to Dec 31, 1066

Edward the Confessor dies. Harold gambles and makes a bid for the Crown, supported by all the magnates of England. William does nothing, despite the so-called oath.

Jan 1, 1066

Key Events of the Conquest

Period: Jan 1, 1066 to Dec 31, 1066

Tostig comes to Flanders looking for aid in his projected bid against Harold.

Mar 1, 1066

Whether he makes a deal with William is a moot point, but certainly William sees this as his chance to invade. He starts to gather his forces. These were made up of 'feudal' levies, in which the knight owed service to his lord in return for land. However, William manages to double the projected strength of his forces by promising English land to anyone who turns up. The final strength of his army is c. 8-10,000 of which c.2,000 are cavalry. He starts constructing a fleet at Dives to transport th

Tostig makes an abortive attempt to invade England.

May 1, 1066

Harold calls out the English levy (the fyrd) to defend against an expected thrust from William, but it never comes. By 8th September, Harold has to disband the fyrd and let it go home to harvest its crops.

Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeat the hastily assembled forces of Earls Edwin & Morcar at Fulford outside York.

Sep 20, 1066

After sailing up the Ouse with more than 10,000 men in 200 longships, Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeat the hastily assembled forces of Earls Edwin & Morcar at Fulford outside York. The army of the Earls is decimated and Edwin & Morcar are unable to play any more part in the campaigns of 1066. This leaves them free to make their peace with William after Hastings, but need not be seen as premeditated.

Harold responds by scraping together a scratch force made up largely of his own housecarls and personal followers, and racing north, calling up the shire levies as he passes through.

Sep 25, 1066

In four days, he has marched 180 miles, and surprised the Norwegian army outside York at Stamford Bridge. Harold offers Tostig his earldom back if he will turn on Harald, but Tostig refuses. Legend has a lone berserker axeman defending the bridge until the sneaky English paddle under the bridge in a barrel and thrust a spear up through the wooden slats. Harald & Tostig both fall at the head of their men.

William waits for the wind to be in the right direction.

Sep 28, 1066

Having sailed his fleet to St Valery sur Somme, William waits for the wind to be in the right direction. It changes 2 days after Stamford Bridge, and William's fleet makes landfall at Pevensey completely unopposed. He marches to Hastings - a good harbour from which he can withdraw easily if necessary, and begins building a castle.

Harold learns of William's landing.

Oct 1, 1066

While at York, Harold learns of William's landing. He marches back down Ermine Street, stopping to pray at Waltham Abbey (which he had founded) on the way. By 12th October, he is back in London and gathering what forces he could to face William.

A state of war continues until Christmas 1066

Oct 1, 1066

A state of war continues until Christmas 1066, when a deal is struck between William and the English magnates in which he guarantees their positions in return for their support. William is crowned King of England on Christmas Day in London by Archbishops Ealdred and Stigand. Edwin, Morcar and Waltheof swear allegiance to him.

William is unhorsed and a shout goes up that he is dead.

Oct 14, 1066

Everything hangs in the balance; but William sweeps off his helmet and rises to rally his troops. Yet the pause had given the English time to regroup, and the Normans batter themselves uselessly against the reformed shield wall. As the day drags on, the numbers began to tell and the English shield wall begins to crack.

Harold takes an arrow in the eye and as his men mill around him, four Norman knights break through and hack him down.

Oct 14, 1066

Late in the day, Harold takes an arrow in the eye and as his men mill around him, four Norman knights break through and hack him down. Legend has it that his body was so mutilated that it could not be recognised until it was identified by his devoted mistress, Edith Swan-neck.

Harold takes up a position blocking the Norman advance to London

Oct 14, 1066

Harold takes up a position blocking the Norman advance to London on Senlac Ridge at the site of Battle with an army of little more than 5,000 weary and footsore men. He intends to fight a purely defensive battle, sitting behind the famous Saxon shield wall and letting the Normans break themselves against it. This works well, beating back repeated waves of Norman infantry followed by cavalry. It works so well in fact that the Breton knights on the Norman left begin to run. Seeing victory in their

A state of war continues until Christmas 1066

Dec 31, 1066

A state of war continues until Christmas 1066, when a deal is struck between William and the English magnates in which he guarantees their positions in return for their support. William is crowned King of England on Christmas Day in London by Archbishops Ealdred and Stigand. Edwin, Morcar and Waltheof swear allegiance to him.