What was the Battle of Hastings?
The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman army of William, Duke of Normandy, and the English army of King Harold II. William's victory led to the Norman Conquest of England.
After the death of King Edward the Confessor in January 1066, Harold Godwinson was crowned king. William of Normandy claimed that Edward had promised him the throne, and he prepared an invasion.
Just weeks before Hastings, Harold defeated a Norwegian invasion led by Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. He then marched his army south to face William.
The battle
The battle took place near Hastings, at the site of the present-day town of Battle in East Sussex. The English formed a shield wall on a ridge, while the Normans used cavalry, archers and infantry.
After a long day of fighting, Harold was killed. The Bayeux embroidery famously shows a figure with an arrow in his eye, often said to be Harold, though historians debate this.
William was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. The conquest transformed England's ruling class, language, architecture and laws.
William built Battle Abbey on the battlefield, with the altar said to mark the place where Harold died. The site is now managed by English Heritage.