Category: Battle Of Hastings

Edgar Aetheling Proclaimed King

15/10/2017

After his victory at the Hasting William the Conqueror headed for London. He left behind, among the dead, the mutilated body of the defeated English king Harold Godwinson.

The following day, the 15th October 1066 as the mighty conqueror's army made their way to the capital, Edgar Aetheling, one of three claimants to English throne was proclaimed king. Aetheling had the support of both the Ealdred, Archbishop of York, Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earls of Northumbria Edwin and Morcar.

If Edgar Aetheling could take on the Norman army, his future, as king, would be secured.

However, as the noise of the approaching Norman army headed their way Edgar's cause was abandoned and the men, who initially supported him, began frantically feathering their own nests.

Edgar Aetheling was taken as a captive to Normandy from where he escaped. By 1068 he was in the Scottish court of King Malcolm III, who was his sister's husband. However, by 1097 Edgar was leading an English invasion against Scotland.

Eighteen years later it was reported by William of Malmesbury that Aetheling was still alive in 1125 Malmesbury wrote
‘he now grows old in the country in privacy and quiet.’

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William the Conqueror

14/10/2016

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Villain or Hero

William the Conqueror has been described as ruthless, a hard man, a ferocious warrior, harsh ruler, driving administrator and man of vigorous principles. He was also said to have had a fearsome temper and the will power that enabled him to strengthened Edward the Confessor's legal system and create a feudal society in England. The years 1085 to 1086 he
ordered England's first census, this we know as the Domesday Book, so called because it was likened to the Day of Judgement, where there was no appeal against what it contained. The new king also saw to it that much of our countries land was given to Norman barons and when the Saxon resisted he put them down with relentless severity. Villain or hero, what do you think?

Here to get you started are two opposing views on the king.

Edward Augustus Freeman 19th century English historiane to edit.

"As far as mortal men can guide the course of things when he is gone, the course of our national history since William's
has been the result of William's character and of William's acts. Well may we restore to him the surname that men gave
him in his own day. He may worthily take his place as William the Great alongside of Alexander, Constantine, and Charles."

Thomas Paine 18th century English author and political activist

"A French bastard landing with an armed banditti and establishing himself King of England against the consent of the
natives is, in plain terms, a very paltry rascally original. The antiquity of the English monarchy will not bear looking at."

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1066: Bits and Bobs with William the Conqueror

28/9/2015

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1066, the 27th of September

At last the wind has shifted, William the Conqueror's invasion force set sail for England.

1066, the 28th of September

William the Conqueror lands at Pevensey Bay this day in 1066.
As he sets foot on the beach he stumbles and falls, a collective gasp is heard, the Conqueror, knowing that his men believe this is a bad omen he shouts

“See I already have England in my hands.”

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Battle of Stamford Bridge

20/6/2015

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25th September 1066

The 25th of September is the anniversary of a fierce battle that was to play an important part in shaping our country, not Hastings, which was less than a month later, but the Battle of Stamford Bridge in the County of Yorkshire.

Five days before the battle, Harald Hardrada, King of Norway and his English ally Tostig Godwinson, who was angry because he had not been given the Earldom of Northumbria the previous year, sailed up the Ouse with over ten thousand men and lead his force to a victory against the Saxon army at Fulford.

Only four days after hearing of the invasion, Harold Godwinson marched the hundred and eighty miles to east Yorkshire and surprised the invaders at Stamford Bridge. Previous the the onset of the battle, Harold had tried to persuade his brother to return and fight for his cause, promising him the Earldom of Northumbria, but Tostig was not interested, as he felt sure that the invaders were in a strong position.

But Tostig was wrong, Hardrada's mighty army was separated by the River Derwent, the majority of his men were on the east side and a smaller group on the west, the same side of the Derwent as the English. Later the English advance party had attacked and defeated the smaller Viking army and those who were left began to flee across the bridge. According to legend, when Harold's army did arrive they were confronted by a large axe wielding viking who held the English army at bay single handedly, cutting down over forty men with a couple of swipes his axe.

The English retaliated with their 'hero of the day' a lone soldier in a boat, who with one thrust of his trusty spear wounded the Norseman enough to let the English pass. Eventually, the defending English army had succeeded in defeating Hardrada's men. Hardrada himself was killed by a arrow in his windpipe and Tostig cut down with a sword. The kings force followed and killed most of the fleeing army, some men drowning in the river but many cut down as they ran.

It is said the the areas on which they fell was still white with bleached bones fifty years after the battle.

William the Conqueror landed at Hastings on the 14th of the following month with over seven thousand men, King Harold arrived with his force of up to thirteen thousand men, many of them weary from the battle and all of them weary from the march south.

A question then? If King Harold had not fought the Scandinavians at Fulford and Stamford Bridge and then not had to march his army over two hundred miles south would he have succeeded at Hastings?

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Battle of Hastings 14th October 1066

15/10/2014

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Hands up, them who's coming to England

I'll tell of the Battle of Hastings,
As happened in days long gone by,
When Duke William became King of England,
And 'Arold got shot in the eye.

It were this way - one day in October
The Duke, who were always a toff
Having no battles on at the moment,
Had given his lads a day off.

They'd all taken boats to go fishing,
When some chap in t' Conqueror's ear
Said "Let's go and put breeze up the Saxons;"
Said Bill - "By gum, that's an idea."

Then turning around to his soldiers,
He lifted his big Norman voice,
Shouting - "Hands up who's coming to England."
That was swank 'cos they hadn't no choice.

They started away about tea-time ,
The sea was so calm and so still,
And at quarter to ten the next morning
They arrived at a place called Bexhill.

King 'Arold came up as they landed ,
His face full of venom and 'ate ,
He said "lf you've come for Regatta
You've got here just six weeks too late."

Let's go and put breeze up the Saxons

At this William rose, cool but 'aughty,
And said "Give us none of your cheek;
You'd best have your throne re-upholstered,
I'll be wanting to use it next week."

When 'Arold heard this 'ere defiance,
With rage he turned purple and blue,
And shouted some rude words in Saxon,
To which William answered - "And you."

'Twere a beautiful day for a battle;
The Normans set off with a will,
And when both sides was duly assembled,
They tossed for the top of the hill.

King 'Arold he won the advantage,
On the hill-top he took up his stand,
With his knaves and his cads all around him,
On his 'orse with his 'awk in his 'and.

King Harold came up as they landed

The Normans had nowt in their favour,
Their chance of a victory seemed small,
For the slope of the field were against them,
And the wind in their faces an' all.

The kick-off were sharp at two-thirty,
And soon as the whistle had went
Both sides started banging each other
'Til the swineherds could hear them in Kent.

The Saxons had best line of forwards,
Well armed both with buckler and sword ,
But the Normans had best combination,
And when half-time came neither had scored.

So the Duke called his cohorts together
And said - "Let's pretend that we're beat,
Once we get Saxons down on the level
We'll cut off their means of retreat."

Let's pretend that we're beat

So they ran - and the Saxons ran after,
Just exactly as William had planned,
Leaving 'Arold alone on the hill-top
On his 'orse with his 'awk in his 'and.

When the Conqueror saw what had happened,
A bow and an arrow he drew;
He went right up to 'Arold and shot him.
He were off-side, but what could they do?

The Normans turned round in a fury,
And gave back both parry and thrust,
Till the fight were all over bar shouting,
And you couldn't see Saxons for dust.

And after the battle were over
They found 'Arold so stately and grand,
Sitting there with an eye-full of arrow
On his 'orse with his 'awk in his 'and.

by Marriott Edgar (1934)
Illustrations by John Hassall

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Edgar Aetheling Proclaimed King

William the Conqueror

1066: Bits and Bobs with William the Conqueror

Battle of Stamford Bridge

Battle of Hastings 14th October 1066

Hands up, them who's coming to England

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