Why did William ( the conqueror ) win the battle of Hastings?

Question

How did he really win?

Answer 1

Well,first of all,you should know that he made the biggest armada in that period (around 7000 men,many of them on horses),and that the Saxons were facing the Normans after already winning a battle on the other side of the island (so they were exhausted).The battle started after a Norman arrow barrage.At the beginning,Saxons fought well and due to their shield wall managed to inflict numerous casualties on the Normans.When Normans started to lose faith (some even taught that William was dead),William stood in front of his army and said:"God will help us win today!"Battle prolonged,but success was mixed...Finally,William decided to use the tactic of fake retreat.When Saxons saw Normans retreating,they started to pursue and broke their lines.Suddenly,Normans turned to fight and managed to cut down many Saxons.After that they rushed through Saxon lines,killing many of them,including Saxon leader Harold (there are two versions of his death,one says an arrow hit him through mouth,the other he was crushed by incoming Norman cavalry).When Saxons saw his death,they have lost their will to fight and lost the battle.HTH:)

Answer 2

Harold made several blunders, during the opening moves, or at least commanders under him....elements of the English right wing broke ranks and pursued the Normans down the hill in a wild unformed charge. Up till then they could not break the English shield wall. On the flat, without a defensive shield wall formation, the English were charged by the Norman cavalry and slaughtered.

Feigned retreat was the tactic that won the day for the Normans, that and the fact the English had just come from battling with the Danes in the North, his so-called armoured Housecarls were worn out.

Answer 3

William The Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings for many reasons. One reason is, the fact that Harold Godwinson had just been in a battle against Harald Hadraada and (despite this battle being easily won) Harold's troops were not well rested, and they had to march back down from Stamford Bridge to Battle. Whereas William's troops were well rested, having landed in Pevensy nine days ago.

The second reason is that Harold was not mobile in the battle. It was traditional for in Anglo-Saxon England for the leader to fight in the front line, meaning that Harold could not pass messages or really change his tactics in a battle. On its own this is not so much of a reason but paired with the next one it plays an important part.

Thirdly was Williams tactic changes. As William was on horseback he was able to transmit messages to soldiers and change tactics. About halfway through the battle one part of his army (The Bretons NOT BRITONS) crumbled and retreated and part of Harolds army chased them down Caldbec Hill, but when his soldiers chased them onto flat ground they could easily ambushed by William's cavalry. Also this affected the rest of the army as the tactic Harold used was 'shield wall' where all of Harold's men interlocked shields for about a mile long and 6-8 men deep. So when Some men ran and died it weakend the wall. When the Bretons retreated William noticed that they could kill them. He decided to 'fake retreat' and then ambush them at the bottom of the hill. He kept this up for a while but it was taking too long and he needed to finish by night of Harold's reinforcments would arrive and William changed his tactics again.

William told his archers to aim high into the sky and they did. Harold heard an arrow and looked up, an arrow hit him in the eye. Many of Harold's troops ran but his most loyal soldiers the housecarls stayed and fighted to their death.

Apparently Harold's body was cut up and thrown in a river. Whether this is true or not his body was never found

Answer 4

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RE:
Why did William ( the conqueror ) win the battle of Hastings?
How did he really win?

Answer 5

Contrary to popular belief, early medieval battles involved coordinated group maneuver. It wasn't the mano-mano free for fall it is often depicted as. The British Isles and the Norse countries preserved this style fighting long after the people on the continet had abandoned shield wall maneuvers in favor of heavy cavalry. (yes I know Normandy was part of the Norse world)

William knew the only weakness in the Harold's army , besides being exhausted due to an amazingly siwft march south following a battle with Harold Hardradda's men, was it realiance on fighting as a unit. If he could get the shield wall to break, his heavy cavalry could charge in and shatter the Saxon lines. The Saxons stayed disciplind for most of the battle, but eventually broke; some say to persue a feint others say they wanted to steal armor and weapons from dead Norman troops. Rgardless of why, or whether Williams men were actually doing a feint and not just retreating, the Saxon shield wall was broken, and the Norman cavalry had the opening they needed to shatter the Saxon line.

*During this time battles wer frequently decided simply by the death of one sides leader. The Normans became panicky after it was claimed that William was dead, but they managed to regain courage upon leanring he was still alive. The death of Harold was the final blow to the Saxons, who likely fled the field leaving behind only those fanatically devoted to their fallen leader.

Answer 6

There's a fair amount of theories. Harold's army had just fought and won a previous battle against Harold of Norway. William had more tactical finesse using more of a combined arms army (mounted knights, archers & crossbowmen, heavy infantry (Low Countries' mercenaries) while the Saxons were more single dimensional. Did William have more veteran and//or professional soldiers in his ranks? All in all, it was still a close match, William had the determination to win and, as luck would have it, Harold was killed.

Answer 7

Boldness & Tenacity, the sheer aidacity of William 's attack won the day. It has been argued that William's troops being mercenaries, soldiers for hire, soldiers who knew to win was to win the right to plunder, that William's soldiers were more skillfull at combat. What is often cited is that William engineered a 'feint,' he ordered his better disiplined troops to fall back from a cruicial stretch as if they were retreating. Harold's less seasoned troops, broke ranks to 'pursue' the retreating Normans, in breaking their shield wall, they made themselves vulnerable which was what William wanted. William then signalled his soldiers to return to their previous position, which enabled them to break Harold's line.
The Bayeux Tapestry celebrates this feint and elaborates with a depiction of a 'rain of arrows' unleached at the same time. One such arrow piercing Harold's eye, killing him.

But a stuborn Saxon fan I sadly blame Harold for his loss that day. Harold the Hasty had defeated a Norwegian Army in the North of England when he received world about William landing in the South. Harold set a land speed record that was remarkable and rarely exceeded even during these modern times (2007). Instead of resting his soldiers, Harold hurried to Battle literally, and did not pause for reinforcements, among the missing, archers, who could have turned the day for Harold.


Peace....

Answer 8

Because King Harold (in the North) was initially forced into a previous battle (which he won) and upon receipt of news of Williams landing then immediately marched his men to Hastings. Upon arrival, his force weary, exhausted, given no rest or any conference made as to the plan of battle - he hurled his tired and spent forces against William!

Answer 9

William I of England (c. 1028 – 9 September 1087) ruled as the Duke of Normandy from 1035 to 1087 and as King of England from 1066 to 1087. William invaded England, led an army of Normans to victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest. No authentic portrait of William has been found but he was described as a muscular man, strong in every sense of the word, balding in front, and of regal dignity.

William's place in English history is momentous, and is considerable in the history of Europe as a whole. He not only ended the Anglo-Saxon Age in England, melding the Norman culture into it, thereby creating the modern English culture, but thoroughly changed the role of England in the Middle Ages. He revamped English law, built several major buildings (including the infamous Tower of London), and altered the language of the nation. He founded feudalism in England.

William, as Duke of Normandy was known as William II and as King of England as William I. He is often referred to as William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquérant) and William the Bastard (Guillaume le Bâtard).

Answer 10

Other reasons are:
1. Harold's period of conscription of his soldiers was running out since he had to fight his brother first.
2. William had a powerful new innovation, the stirrup, which allowed his cavalry to charge up hill.