Military Aspects

Question 1

What did Harold do in January and February 1066 to solve what problem?

Answer 1

Raised 6000 Fyrd and put his navy on the South Coast as only a small no. his army was actually professional soldiers

Question 2

What happened in May 1066?

Answer 2

Tostig allies with Hardrada causing Harold to send a navy fleet leading Tostig to the north where Earls Moncar and Edwin defeated him

Question 3

What happened in June - August 1066?

Answer 3

There was no sign of William’s invasion so Harold had to let the men return home to bring in the harvest

Question 4

What happened in September 1066?

Answer 4

Harold Godwinson had pretty much no army when Hardrada invaded

Question 5

When was the battle of Stamford bridge?

Answer 5

25th September 1066

Question 6

What soldiers did Harold have at the battle of Stamford bridge?

Answer 6

Housecarls and fyrd

Question 7

Who was at the battle of Stamford bridge?

Answer 7

Tostig and Hardrada against Harold

Question 8

What was Hardradas army to invade Northern England?

Answer 8

300 ships and up to 8000 soldiers

Question 9

How quick did Harold travel to London upon hearing of William’s invasion?

Answer 9

Covered 200 miles in 4-5 days

Question 10

When did William set sail for Pevensy?

Answer 10

On the night of the 27th September 1066

Question 11

When did Harold arrive at hastings, what was his problem?

Answer 11

Arrived on 13th October 1066, his army of 6000 were exhausted and there was no chance of surprising William

Question 12

Why did William choose to land in Pevensy?

Answer 12

The Roman fort offered some protection and allowed the Normans to build a castle for further defence as Williams troops terrorised the locals

Question 13

Sequence the events leading up to the battle of hastings in order

Answer 13

1) Hardrada sailed North East
2) Hardrada and Tostig met at river Thyne for the battle of
3) Harold marched his army to the north for the battle of Stamford bridge
4) William set sail for Pevensy
5) Harold then had to quickly march his soldiers to London
6) battle of Hastings

Question 14

How were the Normans positioned at the battle of Hastings?

Answer 14

Bottom of the hill with cavalry into divisions

Question 15

How where the AS positioned in the battle of Hastings?

Answer 15

Top of the hill in a shield wall

Question 16

What was the normans first attack at battle of Hastings?

Answer 16

Throwing arrows but the AS were too close and hill advantage

Question 17

How did the normans break the shield wall?

Answer 17

Feigned retreat

Question 18

How could williams arrows at the battle of Hastings hit the Saxon army by surprise?

Answer 18

By moving William’s archers behind the infantry

Question 19

What happened just before feigned retreat?

Answer 19

William’s horse’s charged

Question 20

When did Harold Godwinson die?

Answer 20

By 4pm after the shield wall broke causing the fyrd to break and flee

Question 21

Give some points of AS soldier quality at the battle of Hastings

Answer 21

• There were around 7000 fyrd

- weapons like double handed axes, piles and circular shields

Question 22

Give some points on AS leadership at the battle of Hastings

Answer 22

• the king Harold was an experienced general

- Harold was a popular king

Question 23

Give some points on AS tactics in battle of Hastings

Answer 23

• they were positioned at the top of Senlac hill

- used the shield Wall formation

Question 24

Give some points on Norman soldier quality at the battle of Hastings

Answer 24

• has bows, shields that covered from chin to knee, pikes
• around 7000 trained mercenary forces form Normandy and Western Europe
• knights trained from age three

Question 25

Give some points on Norman leadership at the battle of Hastings

Answer 25

• Duke William conquered many areas around Normandy as far as Sicily
• duke William had papal banner (support from God)

Question 26

Give some points on Norman tactics at the battle of Hastings

Answer 26

• Brought plenty of horses and supplies for army to refuel before battle
• arrived at the battle ground first and choose the base of Senlac hill

Question 27

give some of Harold’s mistakes in the battle of Hastings

Answer 27

Hurried to face William when he could have waited for 20,000 to 30,000 extra troops and he choose to fight on fool making it hard to communicate with troops

Question 28

Give some of William’s superior tactics

Answer 28

William delayed his invasion to demoralise Harold’s soldiers and had the papal banned motivating his soldiers to fight

Question 29

Name some instances where William won the battle of Hastings due to luck

Answer 29

The weather delayed William’s invasion and the double invasion occurred during harvest season leading to Harold’s fyrd having to leave to get the crops