The three battles Flashcards
(27 cards)
How did Harald Hardrada take Harold by surprise in 1066?
- Harald Hardrada took Harold by surprise with the invasion of York.
What was Harold doing before Hardrada’s invasion?
- Harold was waiting for William’s army on the south coast. His spies told him about William’s plan so he quickly began to defend his kingdom.
How did Harold prepare for the Norman invasion?
- Harold raised more taxes than any king before him and used the money to pay the fyrd and build ships to defend the coast.
What happened by June 1066?
-By June 1066, thousands of soldiers were waiting for the Norman invasion. It did not arrive.
Why did Harold disband the fyrd?
- By September, the army was running out of food, and the men were needed for the harvest. Believing William would also need to bring in the harvest, Harold disbanded the fyrd.
What did Harold’s brother Tostig do?
-Harold’s brother Tostig, angry at losing his earldom, had encouraged Harald Hardrada, the king of Norway, to take the English throne.
Where did Hardrada and Tostig land?.
-Hardrada and Tostig’s army had landed in the north of England. The northern earls, Edwin and Morcar, fought Hardrada but were driven away.
What did Harold do after hearing about Hardrada’s invasion?
-He gathered the remains of his army and marched north, gathering more troops on his way.
How did Harold surprise Hardrada?
- In less than a week, Harold reached York. Tostig and Hardrada had left their armour behind because they expected peace. Harold launched a surprise attack.
What happened at the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
- The two armies clashed for several hours. Thousands on both sides were killed, including Hardrada and Tostig. The Norwegians surrendered.
What happened shortly after Harold’s victory?2
- Just days later, he heard that William’s army had landed on the south coast, near Hastings.
Why was William’s army delayed?
- William’s army had been delayed by bad weather and because the wind was coming from the wrong direction.
What did William do upon landing?
-On 28 September 1066, William’s army landed at Pevensey. William quickly built defences at Pevensey and Hastings.
Why did William encourage his men to raid the land?
-He encouraged his men to raid the surrounding area — probably as much to annoy Harold as to provide food for his army.
How quickly did Harold respond?
-Harold rode back to London in four or five days and gathered a new army. Despite his haste, William was waiting for him.
How many men were in William’s army?
- About 7000 men.
How many men were in Harold’s army and what problem did he face?
-About 7000 men. Many others were trying to join him from across the south but were still a long way away. If Harold had waited, he might have had twice as many.
What was the condition of William’s soldiers?
-William’s soldiers were well rested.
What was the condition of Harold’s soldiers?
-Many of the soldiers who had fought with Harold in the north would have been tired or wounded
What was the advantage of Harold’s position?
-Harold chose a ridge near Hastings, with a forest behind it – this gave him a strong defensive line but would make retreat difficult.
What types of soldiers did each army have?
-William’s army consisted of knights on horseback, archers and infantry. Harold had no horsemen or archers. His soldiers formed a deep line, protected by a wall of shields.
What happened at the start of the battle? - Battle of Hastings
-At nine o’clock, the trumpets sounded and the Battle of Hastings began. William’s archers fired a hail of arrows on the English, allowing the infantry to climb the hill. Harold’s army flung javelins and stones at the Normans.
What was the effect of Norman cavalry attacks early on?
- The Normans pounded the English shield wall but it held firm, even when the cavalry joined in, battering the fyrd with swords and clubs.
What changed the situation?
-After hours of stalemate, a group of Norman knights turned from the battle and rode down the hill. Some English soldiers chased after them, breaking the defensive line.
