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The Battle of Hastings
The Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the Battle of Hastings.

The tapestry was made around ten years after the battle.
The Passing of the King
In January 1066, the King of England
died. His name was Edward the
Confessor. The tapestry shows the king
handing the crown to his chosen
successor – the person he chose to be
the next
King of England:
Harold Godwinson.
King Harold
Harold was crowned king at
Westminster Abbey. The tapestry shows
that the congregation are facing Harold,
but their eyes are fixed upon Halley’s
Comet in the sky overhead, which was
seen at the same time, and this was
thought to be a bad omen.
William, Duke of Normandy
William was Duke of Normandy in
France. He very much wanted to be
King of England and decided on a plan
to get his way.
He needed the support of all the nobles
and important people. He needed them
to agree to his plan to invade England!
Persuading the Nobles
William had to persuade the nobles to his way of
thinking. To do this, he needed to show them that
it would still be lawful if he was king of England.
He asked the Pope in Rome for his blessing, so that
he could say that God was on his side.
Did you know…? Nobles were people who

were landowners, providing work, homes and
protection for the peasants who worked for
them. Nobles would fight for their king and give
them money.
Armies for a Crown
Although the crown would normally pass to the person who had the greatest claim
to the throne by birth right, William also knew that the person with the biggest and
strongest army would become king. The man who gathered enough support and
the biggest army would get the crown.
Getting Support
In May, the brother of King Harold, Tostig

Godwinson, tried to invade England. Harold
called all the peasant farmers to fight for him.
William waited and watched. He

wanted to make sure he had enough
support before making his move.
September 1066
Stamford Bridge
Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian king, and

Tostig tried to invade Northumbria in the
north of England. King Harold sent his army
to meet them and the invaders lost the battle
at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire.
William Makes His Move
Two days later, William and his fleet of 700 ships
sailed across the English Channel from France. It
is thought he landed at Pevensy because he built a
castle there.
The Norman invaders set about pillaging and

burning the area across from the harbour mouth in
order to force Harold to defend his people and
country.
It worked.
Harold raced down the country from York and gathered whatever army he could
along the way.
Pillaging means robbing things in a violent, aggressive way.
14th October, 1066
Harold was on his way to Hastings.
William heard the news and marched out to face Harold.
The Norman army was made up of 15,000

professional soldiers who were well trained
and well equipped.
The English army were tired from their long

march. They were poorly paid and many
were likely to agree to fight because they
were allowed to keep anything they found
as a result of battle. They could keep
horses,
expensive weapons and armour.
The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings began. Despite only having 5000 tired, footsore soldiers,
Harold’s army put up a very good defence. They were at the top of Senlac Hill
and the Normans were at the bottom. The English army formed a shield wall
with their shields and it was difficult for the Normans to break through it.
However, word went around that Duke William had

been killed. This made the English soldiers drop their
shield wall.
The Duke’s Not Dead!
The story goes that William then took off his helmet and shouted,
“Look at me! I’m alive and with the aid of God I shall gain the victory!”
His army now had more courage and moved in on the English army, mowing them
down on their way.
Harold’s two brothers were killed and Harold was shot

in the eye with an arrow. Then, he was trampled into
the ground. His army ran away into the night.
William the Conqueror
William had Harold buried next to the battlefield with a headstone reading ‘Here
lies Harold, King of the English’.
Harold’s body now rests at Waltham Abbey.
It took two more months for the other

English towns to submit to Norman rule.
King William
On Christmas Day, 1066, William was crowned King of
England in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

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The Battle of Hastings

The Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the Battle of Hastings.

Did you know…? Nobles were people who

In May, the brother of King Harold, Tostig

William waited and watched. He

Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian king, and

The Norman invaders set about pillaging and

The Norman army was made up of 15,000

The English army were tired from their long

However, word went around that Duke William had

Harold’s two brothers were killed and Harold was shot

It took two more months for the other

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