The battle of Hastings was held 10km away from Hastings itself and was fought at Senlac Hill. But the question is, why did William win? In this essay I will be saying why William the Duke of Normandy won the battle of Hastings. I will be including these points: Williams’s good leadership, luck, preparation and tactics. One very important point as to why William won the battle of Hastings, was because William was a skilful, brave and determined leader who kept his army disciplined and under control. He was on horseback which made it easy for him to communicate with his army and made him very mobile. Also, William provoked Harold by burning, destroying and looting nearby villages. He burnt down his own ships so his army knew that they were not going to return to France unless they won the battle; this gave the army a boost in determination.
William told his army to pretend to run away thinking that the Saxons would follow, the Saxons fell for the trick and chased them down the hill, more Normans came down and surrounded the Saxons and slaughtered them. Throughout the battle, William managed to keep his army under control which was one of the key reasons why he won the battle. Another key reason why the battle was won by William was because he had luck on his side. The winds changed at just the right time when Harold was fighting Harald in the north allowing for William to arrive at an unguarded shore; this gave him time to rest and prepare. Having the Pope on his side gave William self-belief and confidence. The pope also gave William men for his army.
The Essay on William Wallace Army Nobles Scottish
William Wallace, one of Scotlands greatest national heroes to ever live, had had enough of King Edward I (Long shanks), king of England rule over Scotland. The patriotic Scottish outlaw organized a rebellion to stand up to Edwards rule. Wallace became a hero among the Scots but was considered a traitor by the English. Ultimately Scotland did win its freedom, but Wallaces own campaign was a ...
During the fighting in the north – The Battle of Stamford Bridge – Harold lost some of his best men, and the rest were fatigued when it came to fighting William and his army. William’s army were fitter, stronger and determined, and when one of his archers shot Harold in the eye with an arrow that could have hit anyone, the remainder of Harold’s soldiers gave up. Eventually, the shield wall broke and the whole Saxon army, engulfed by the Normans, were being slaughtered by the minute. If it wasn’t for this incredible luck, William could have lost the Battle of Hastings. Along with his strong leadership and good luck, William won the battle due to his amazing preparation skills. William had organised an army of knights on horseback and 7500 fully trained men and unlike Harold, William had archers with him that could kill people from long distances. A fortress was built by William so that he could ensure his men were well rested and prepared for battle and he had spies which he used to see what Harold was doing. Harold made a crucial mistake – he did not look after his men, and this went in Williams favour.
William was well prepared and his plans were well thought out, but there was something more that helped him win the battle… Tactics! William’s tactics were the final reason why he triumphed at the Battle of Hastings. William planned and arranged for his army to battle in rows so they could move easily; unlike the Saxons who were all clumped together. His archers were instructed to aim their bows above the Saxons heads; this proved more effective, as even though the Saxons could just put their shields over their heads, they couldn’t defend their bodies from the Normans thrusting swords. Harold’s tactic was to keep a tight shield wall in front of the army; at first it worked, but due to the soldiers being tired, it backfired – gaps began to appear and suddenly the Saxons were being slaughtered. In conclusion, I can see that a combination of factors helped William win the Battle of Hastings. I think the most important reasons were William’s good leadership skills and his careful preparation – his tactics alone wouldn’t have worked and he couldn’t have relied on just luck! If William hadn’t prepared his army and kept them under control, they wouldn’t have been as strong, as fit or as determined to win. So, without William leading, the army could have been full of untrained, unprepared and tired men and the outcome of The Battle of Hastings could have been very different.
The Essay on William Henry Harrison Territory Battle Army
William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison was born in Berkeley, Virginia in 1773. He grew up on a farm and worked as a planter. At the age of 18 he attended Hampden Sydney College. There he studied history, later on he went to study medicine in Richmond, Virginia. That same year he switched his interest an in 1791 he joined the First Infantry of the Regular Army. Harrison then headed to the ...
