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Period: Jan 1, 1066 to Jan 2, 1066
Edward the confessor dies
Edward the Confessor dies. Harold gambles and makes a bid for the Crown, supported by all the magnates of England. William does nothing, despite the so-called oath. -
Period: Jan 3, 1066 to Jan 4, 1066
Tostig comes to Flanders looking for aid in his projected bid against Harold.
Tostig comes to Flanders looking for aid in his projected bid against Harold. Whether he makes a deal with William is a moot point, but certainly William sees this as his chance to invade. He starts to gather his forces. These were made up of 'feudal' levies, in which the knight owed service to his lord in return for land. However, William manages to double the projected strength of his forces by promising English land to anyone who turns up. -
Period: May 1, 1066 to May 2, 1066
Tostig makes an abortive attempt to invade England.
Tostig makes an abortive attempt to invade England. Harold calls out the English levy (the fyrd) to defend against an expected thrust from William, but it never comes. By 8th September, Harold has to disband the fyrd and let it go home to harvest its crops. -
Period: Sep 20, 1066 to Sep 21, 1066
After sailing up the Ouse with more than 10,000 men in 200 longships, Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeat the hastily assembled forces of Earls Edwin & Morcar at Fulford outside York.
After sailing up the Ouse with more than 10,000 men in 200 longships, Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeat the hastily assembled forces of Earls Edwin & Morcar at Fulford outside York. The army of the Earls is decimated and Edwin & Morcar are unable to play any more part in the campaigns of 1066. This leaves them free to make their peace with William after Hastings, but need not be seen as premeditated. -
Period: Sep 25, 1066 to Sep 29, 1066
Harold responds by scraping together a scratch force made up largely of his own housecarls and personal followers, and racing north, calling up the shire levies as he passes through.
In four days, he has marched 180 miles, and surprised the Norwegian army outside York at Stamford Bridge. Harold offers Tostig his earldom back if he will turn on Harald, but Tostig refuses. Legend has a lone berserker axeman defending the bridge until the sneaky English paddle under the bridge in a barrel and thrust a spear up through the wooden slats. Harald & Tostig both fall at the head of their men. -
Period: Sep 28, 1066 to Sep 30, 1066
Having sailed his fleet to St Valery sur Somme, William waits for the wind to be in the right direction.
Having sailed his fleet to St Valery sur Somme, William waits for the wind to be in the right direction. It changes 2 days after Stamford Bridge, and William's fleet makes landfall at Pevensey completely unopposed. He marches to Hastings - a good harbour from which he can withdraw easily if necessary, and begins building a castle. -
Period: Oct 1, 1066 to Oct 12, 1066
While at York, Harold learns of Wiliam's landing.
While at York, Harold learns of William's landing. He marches back down Ermine Street, stopping to pray at Waltham Abbey (which he had founded) on the way. By 12th October, he is back in London and gathering what forces he could to face William. -
Period: Oct 1, 1066 to Dec 31, 1066
A state of war continues until Christmas 1066, when a deal is struck between William and the English magnates in which he guarantees their positions in return for their support.
A state of war continues until Christmas 1066, when a deal is struck between William and the English magnates in which he guarantees their positions in return for their support. William is crowned King of England on Christmas Day in London by Archbishops Ealdred and Stigand. Edwin, Morcar and Waltheof swear allegiance to him. -
Period: Oct 14, 1066 to Oct 15, 1066
Harold takes up a position blocking the Norman advance to London on Senlac Ridge at the site of Battle with an army of little more than 5,000 weary and footsore men.
He intends to fight a purely defensive battle, sitting behind the famous Saxon shield wall and letting the Normans break themselves against it. This works well, beating back repeated waves of Norman infantry followed by cavalry. It works so well in fact that the Breton knights on the Norman left begin to run. Seeing victory in their grasp, the English right charges down the slope after them, exposing themselves to a devastating counter-attack led by William himself. -
Period: Oct 15, 1066 to Oct 16, 1066
Late in the day
Late in the day, Harold takes an arrow in the eye and as his men mill around him, four Norman knights break through and hack him down. Legend has it that his body was so mutilated that it could not be recognised until it was identified by his devoted mistress, Edith Swan-neck.