Battle of Hastings

Question 1

Who were the leaders who fought in the battle of Hastings

Answer 1

William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson

Question 2

What were the strengths of Harold’s army

Answer 2

• good morale from beating hardrarda
• their defense is very good
• they had very good archers
• they had a good sheild wall

Question 3

what were the weaknesses of harolds army

Answer 3

• they were tired from having to walk 5 days and also had just fought the vikings then had to walk back to fight william
• they were also mentally tired
• they didnt have horses which the french had
• they only fought on ground and were very slow

Question 4

what were the strengths of williams army

Answer 4

• william is a very motivating person and persuasive so he motivates his army to fight well for him
• he is on the popes side so they are with god
• they arent tired but really fired up
• powerful leader
• they had horses who would kick, bite, headbut and would push the enemy
• these horses were stallions and would be very powerful male horses
• THERE WERE 2000 HORSES
• they are trained to do agile, nimble movements

Question 5

what were the weaknesses of williams army

Answer 5

• they wont get reinforcement because it woukd have to be shipped because he is in another country.

There isnt much other weaknesses

Question 6

who won the battle of hastings

Answer 6

william of normandy and the french

Question 7

what was some of harolds mistakes which led to william winning

Answer 7

• harold fought in the front line of battle
• harold failed to take advantage when the bretons broke and fled
• the majority of the saxon army was made up if the fyrd, these were not as well trained ir prepared as the norman army
• the norman tactic of ‘feigned retreats’ temted the saxons off senlac ridge

Question 8

what were some if williams skill and leadership skills that led to him winning

Answer 8

• the normans archers had a bug imoact on the outcome of the battle
• william was brave, ambitious and determined. he wanted to invade engkand even though his advisors said it woukd be too dangerous
• william burnt wessex to tempt barold into an early battle
• william had kept the discipline of his army whilst they waited to cross the channel
• he had a very clever tactic called ‘feigned retreats’ which is when the norman army would retreat as the english would push forward and off of senlac ridge where they had the advantage and then the normans would counter it and pounce on the when it is unexpected

Question 9

what was the luck that william had that led to him winning

Answer 9

• the wind changed as they were sailing which allowed the normans to arrive on the coast whilst harold was in the north, this meant william had time to burn some villages and get ready
• harold died when an arrow peirced his eye which meant that his army didnt know what to do
• a rumour spread that william died but he shouted ‘ look at me well. i am alive and by gods grace i shall yet be victor’ showing his leadership
• the battle of stamford bridge left harolds army weakened

Question 10

wht was some of the reasons that william won because he had a better army

Answer 10

• the normans had well trained proffesional cavalry
• williams army was full of professional soldiers and mercenaries
• he had a variety of soldiers, icluding archers, cavalry and foot soldiers whereas harolds army was mostly of foot soldiers