L.

O Understanding the Battle of Title:

Hastings
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Here we Harold
Harold collected
collected asas many
many soldiers
soldiers as
as he
he could
could and
and
go…let’s go started
started to
to march
march south,
south, covering
covering 50
50 miles
miles aa day.
day.
south! Many
Many of
of his
his best
best soldiers
soldiers were
were left
left behind.
behind.
On
On 13
13 October,
October, Harold
Harold finally
finally arrived
arrived at
at Hastings
Hastings
during
during the
the night,
night, with
with an
an army
army ofof 7,000
7,000 exhausted
exhausted
men.
men.

“…although he [Harold] knew that he had lost some of

his best men in the recent battle, and that half of his
troops were not yet assembled, he did not hesitate to
meet the enemy.” written by the monk Florence of
Worcester in about 1115.

Discussion:
Discussion:
1)
1) What
What does
does the
the above
above information
information tell
tell you
you about
about
the
the type
type of
of man
man Harold
Harold was?
was?
2)
2) What
What advice
advice would
would you
you have
have given
given him
him and
and why?
why?
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Who has the best army?

Harold’s William’s
Army Army
Norman
Norman
Fyrd
Fyrd Archers
Archers

Task: Use the information sheet on

Norman
Norman
the different soldiers to begin your Knights
Knights
mind map. Name the soldier, then give
Housecarls
Housecarls an advantage and disadvantage for each Norman
Norman Foot
Foot
type. Soldiers
Soldiers

Challenge: Which army would you prefer for a) a surprise attack and b) a
defensive battle. Explain your choices.
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
On 14 October 1066, William marched his army inland to where Harold
was camped. Harold held a good defensive position on top of Senlac Hill.
The well armed housecarls seemed to be in the centre protecting Harold.
It is believed he had about 6,000 fighting men, all on foot.
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Task 3: Using the information on the
board, label the map of the battlefield.

Marshlan
d
River

Fyrd

Fyr Housecarls
d

Riv
er French and Challenge: If you were
What
What type
type is
is Flemings
this?
this? Add
Add the
the Normans William, what strategy
Bretons
detail
detail to
to yours.
yours. would you use?
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Now we will watch a video
video about why the English lost against William and
the Normans.

Discussion Questions:
1) What strategy did
1)

Harold use?
2) Describe William’s
2)

tactic during the

battle.
3) What do you think
3)

was the biggest

turning point in the
battle?
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Discussion Task: Now that you have watched the video, let’s answer Norman
victory.
True and False questions about what we learned on mini whiteboards.
Most will
use
information
to describe
1. Harold’s army were the Saxons. TRU the key
reasons for
2.
E
Harold had cavalry solders (on horseback). FALS the Norman

3.
E
William had Fyrd (untrained part-time soldiers). FALS
victory.
All will All
will recall
4. William had archers. TRU E the events
which
5. Harold’s army formed aEshield wall at the top of TRU occurred at
the Battle
the hill. E of Hastings.

6. Williams men thought he had been killed and TRU

Key Words:
Retreat
retreated. E Conqueror
Shield-Wall
7. William tricked the Saxons and many of them Feign
Formation
TRU
were killed. E
8. William was shot in the eye with an arrow. FALS
E
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

On 14 October 1066, at around Key Words:

Retreat
9:30am, the Battle of Hastings began. Conqueror
Shield-Wall
William carried a flag given to him by Feign
Discussion: What effects would Formation
the Pope. Looking up the steep hill to
a flag from the Pope have on
the English, William ordered his
the soldiers on the battlefield?
archers to unleash a storm of arrows.
Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Harold’s men formed a tight shield wall Key Words:

Retreat

and hid behind it while arrows fell Conqueror

Shield-Wall

amongst them. When the archers Feign

Formation

stopped firing, the English started

banging their shield and shouting ‘Out!
Out! Out!’
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Retreat
Click to Conqueror
Animate Shield-Wall
Feign
William decided to send his knights and foot soldiers to smash the Formation

English shield wall. Unfortunately for William, the steep hill meant the
horses couldn’t fully charge and the foot soldiers were tired before they
started fighting!
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Retreat
Conqueror
Shield-Wall
The two hours the battle raged. The two sides were toe-to-toe, Feign
Formation
hacking, stabbing and slashing viciously at each other. William’s men
could not break through the shield wall and William himself had lost 2
horses under him. Then a rumour started that William had been missing
for 30 mins…and that he had been killed!
Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.
William was not dead and Most will
to prove it he galloped use
information
through his men shouting to describe
the key
‘Look at me! Look at me! I reasons for
the Norman
am alive and, with God’s victory.
All will All

help, we will be will recall

the events

victorious!’ which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Discussion: What effect Retreat
Conqueror
would this have on the Shield-Wall
Feign
Normans? Formation
Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Click to Retreat
Animate Conqueror
At
At around
around 3:30pm
3:30pm William
William ordered
ordered some
some of
of Shield-Wall
Feign
his
his soldiers
soldiers onon the
the left
left to
to run
run away
away down
down Formation

the
the hill
hill as
as if
if they
they were
were retreating.
retreating. The
The
English,
English, thinking
thinking they
they were
were winning,
winning,
charged
charged down
down the
the hill
hill after
after the
the Normans.
Normans.
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
victory.

Most will
use
information
to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Click to
Without the safety of the shield Animate
Retreat
Conqueror

wall, Harold’s men who had run Discussion: The name of Shield-Wall
Feign

down the hill in an undisciplined William’s strategy starts with Formation

manner were now surrounded and an ‘F’, so does the way in

massacred by William’s knights on which the enemy were
horseback. surrounded. Can you guess
what they are?
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman

The Normans now had access to the victory.

Most will
hill while some of the Fyrd deserted use
information
the battlefield. Harold’s remaining to describe
the key
men tried to build a shield wall reasons for
the Norman
around him but unfortunately the victory.
All will All
battle was in the Norman’s favour. will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Click to Retreat
Animate Conqueror
Shield-Wall
Feign
Formation
Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
William of important
reason for
Mamesbury, 1125 Norman
victory.

Most will
use
“Receiving the fatal information
to describe
arrow from a distance, he the key
reasons for
died. One of the Norman the Norman
victory.
soldiers with a sword All will All
will recall
then cut off his leg as he the events
which
lay.” occurred at
the Battle
“Then it was with an of Hastings.

arrow which was William had won! Harold and Key Words:

shot towards the sky, many of his commanders Retreat

Conqueror

struck Harold above were slain. Harold’s body was Shield-Wall

Feign

the right eye.” buried in secret despite Formation

Harold’s mother offering pay

Guy of Amein, his weight in gold for the
1067 return of the body.
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
Let’s study a source written about the reason for
Norman
battle. victory.

Most will
use
Task: Read the source you have been information
to describe
given and answer the below questions: the key
reasons for
1) Write down 5 adjectives or phrases the Norman
victory.
that describe William in battle. All will All
will recall
2) Do you think the source was written the events
which
by a supporter or opponent of William? occurred at
the Battle
Explain how you decided. of Hastings.

3) Challenge: Can you totally trust what Key Words:

Retreat

the source says? Explain your answer. Conqueror

Shield-Wall
Feign
Formation

An
An account
account of
of William
William fighting
fighting in
in the
the battle,
battle, written
written
around
around 1073.
1073. The
The man
man who
who wrote
wrote itit wasn’t
wasn’t at
at the
the
battle, but based what he wrote from things
battle, but based what he wrote from things he he
found
found out.
out.
 Title: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? Some will
evaluate the
most
important
Task: You
Task: You will
will be
be given
given aa handout
handout with
with different
different reason for
Norman
statements
statements about
about the
the Battle
Battle of
of Hastings
Hastings that
that victory.
fall
fall under
under these
these different
different headings:
headings: Most will
Using
Using the
the handout,
handout, colour-code
colour-code them
them under
under the
the use
information
Preparation
correct
correct headings.
headings. to describe
the key
reasons for
the Norman
victory.
Army and Weapons All will All
will recall
the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
Leadership and of Hastings.
Tactics
Key Words:
Retreat
Conqueror
Shield-Wall
Feign
Formation

Challenge: Which
Challenge: Which ofof the
the three
three ‘headings’
‘headings’ or
or
‘reasons’
‘reasons’ was
was the
the most
most important
important in
in leading
leading to
to
William’s
William’s victory?
victory? Explain
Explain with
with reasons.
reasons.
Let’s Review Some will
evaluate the
most
important
reason for
Norman
Hah! I am victorious! It is time for me to victory.

write a short note back to my family in Most will

use
Normandy. information
to describe
As my official scribe, I want you to the key
reasons for
write a short message, no more than 50 the Norman
victory.
words about why I was able to win the All will All
will recall
Battle of Hastings! the events
which
occurred at
the Battle
of Hastings.

Key Words:
Retreat
Conqueror
Shield-Wall
Feign
Formation