what caused the battle of Hastings in 1066?

Answer 1

Edward the Confessor died in early 1066, without any children. As things are worked out these days, the true heir to the throne was Edgar the Atheling, but he was still in his early teens when Edward died, so there was a meeting of nobles to decide who should rule. They decided on Harold Godwinson, who was Edward's brother-in-law. Harold claimed that Edward had confirmed him as heir to the throne while Edward was on his deathbed. More importantly, Harold was already the most powerful man in the country, so best placed to defend it.

William, the Duke of Normandy, claimed that Edward had appointed him as the heir to the throne, and even better, that Harold had promised to help him with that claim. When he heard that Harold had claimed the throne he set about recruiting the best army he could find. Doing this, and building up a fleet to carry them across the English Channel took the best part of 9 months. He launched his invasion in October of 1066, and the Battle of Hastings occurred when the English army turned up to fight him.

There was also a claim on the throne from the king of Norway, Harald Hardraada. He invaded England just before William, and while that may have been relevant to how the battle turned out, it wasn't really a cause of the battle.

Answer 2

The Battle of Hastings was where the Norman invaders, led by William the Conqueror, overcame the Anglo Saxon troops led by King Harold.

There was a territorial dispute between William and Harold as to which was the true heir.

William's victory was hugely signficant for England: the Norman Conquest determined everything from the language to the legal system for many centuries therafter.

Answer 3

Tim N was spot on with most of it, but the harald hardradda bit played a significant part in harold godwinsons defeat, because just after defeating hardradda in the north the anglo-saxon army had a horrendous forced march south to face the norman invasion fleet, funnily enough not at hastings, but at a place now known as Battle in East Sussex, its about 8 miles inland from Hastings, and a lot of people will tell you they knew this, but it was called the battle of hastings because the normans landed there, well they didnt, they actually landed about 10 miles west of Hastings near Pevensey Bay, at a coastal area now known as Normans Bay for obvious reasons, in Pevensey village you will find the castle and the oldest recorded Norman church still standing and in use in Britain.

Answer 4

It was a battle for the English throne, which Harold of Wessex had claimed as his, Edward the Confessor having promised it ot him on his deathbed. This was before the throne passed by right of succession. William was Edward's first cousin's son. He had always said that Edward had promised him the crown of England. William claimed that Harold of Wessex had vowed to help him become King. As Duke of Normandy, William was used to ruling a large land. He decided to come over and seize what he felt he was entitled to.

Answer 5

William of Normandy wanted the English crown for himself.

Answer 6

An invasion by the Normans.

Answer 7

the Normans wanted to conquer England.

Answer 8

there was no hier to the throne so three different people wanted it.
one from france, england and a viking i think!
so they all decided to fight over it
can't remember who won think it was the french one.

Answer 9

Despotic louts who wanted a fight.

Answer 10

Greed and deception.