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What date does Harold Godwinson find out about Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson's invasion?
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What date does Harold Godwinson find out about Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson's invasion?
Harold Godwinson found out about Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson's invasion on 19th September 1066.
When does the Battle of Gate Fulford take place?
The Battle of Gate Fulford took place on 20th September 1066.
True or False?
Tostig Godwinson and Harald Hardrada had support in the south of England.
False.
Tostig and Hardrada had support in the north of England. The North was under Danelaw, with a high number of Anglo-Danish people. They would support a Viking king ruling England like King Cnut.
Why was Harold Godwinson not able to intercept Hardrada and Tostig's forces at the River Humber?
Harold Godwinson had placed his forces in the south of England. Harold could not get to the North in time to intercept Hardrada's forces.
Which two earls attacked Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson's forces in the Battle of Gate Fulford?
The two earls that attacked Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson's forces were:
Morcar, the Earl of Northumbria
Edwin, the Earl of Mercia
Define the term housecarls in the context of the Battle of Gate Fulford.
Housecarls were highly trained troops who served as a lord's personal bodyguard. Hardrada had housecarls whereas Edwin and Morcar did not.
Did Harald Hardrada or Edwin and Morcar have more troops at the Battle of Gate Fulford?
Hardrada.
Edwin and Morcar only had 6,000 troops. Hardrada and Tostig had around 9,000. This was a significant factor in Hardrada's victory.
Which side fled from the Battle of Gate Fulford - Harald Hardrada or Edwin?
Edwin.
Hardrada's soldiers attacked Edwin's forces. Edwin ordered his army to leave to York as Hardrada's warriors were much stronger than Edwin's.
Where had Edwin and Morcar assembled their troops which disadvantaged them in the Battle of Gate Fulford?
Edwin and Morcar assembled their troops by marshland. As a result, Edwin and Morcar's forces struggled to retreat. Hardrada's forces killed many of the retreating English soldiers.
Define beacon signals in the context of the Battle of Gate Fulford.
A beacon signal is a fire or light set up high or in a visible position to act as a signal, warning or guide. It is likely that beacon signals notified Harold of Hardrada's invasion.
How quickly did Harold Godwinson respond to the news of Harald Hardrada's invasion?
Harold Godwinson responded very quickly to the news. Harold's forces travelled 185 miles in five days. Harold's thegns travelled on horseback. Harold may have sailed to the North.
True or False?
The Battle of Stamford Bridge was unexpected.
True.
The meeting at Stamford Bridge was supposed to be for the exchange of hostages in return for other hostages or money after the Battle of Gate Fulford.
Who were Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson expecting to meet at Stamford Bridge on 25th September1066?
Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson were expecting to meet Edwin and Morcar at Stamford Bridge. Instead, they were met with Harold Godwinson's 10,000-strong army.
Did the majority or the minority of Harald Hardrada's army have armour and weapons at the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
The minority.
Hardrada had left a third of his army ten miles away from Stamford Bridge. Many of Hardrada's remaining troops, 6,000 in total at Stamford Bridge, did not have armour.
True or False?
A myth states that a Viking axeman held the bridge over the River Derwent on his own, killing 20 Anglo-Saxons, before he was killed.
False.
The myth states that the lone Viking axeman held the bridge on his own, killing 40 Anglo-Saxons. The legend states that an Anglo-Saxon floated under the bridge and stabbed the Viking from below.
Did Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson survive the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
No.
Harold Godwinson killed his brother, Tostig. An arrow to the neck killed Hardrada. The battle ended as a victory for Harold Godwinson.
What date did Harold Godwinson hear that William, Duke of Normandy had landed on the south coast of England?
Harold Godwinson heard that William, Duke of Normandy had landed on the south coast of England on 1st October 1066.
Define pillaging in the context of William, Duke of Normandy's arrival to England in 1066.
Pillaging is stealing something from a place or a person using violence, especially during war. When William arrived in October 1066, he attacked and pillaged towns and villages on the south coast.
How did Edwin and Morcar's mistakes at the Battle of Gate Fulford impact Harold Godwinson after the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
Edwin and Morcar had weakened Harold's forces, as had the Battle of Stamford Bridge. He had a lower number of men to defend England from William in the South.
Did the Battle of Stamford Bridge advantage or disadvantage Harold Godwinson's troops?
Disadvantage.
While Harold's soldiers should have felt in good spirits, they were tired. Harold marched his housecarls down to meet William on the south coast without rest after the battle.
Why did Harold Godwinson choose an open battle with William, Duke of Normandy, rather than seeking shelter behind London's fortifications?
Harold chose an open battle with William because he and the Witan thought that they had well-prepared tactics against William's forces. Harold believed that Hardrada, rather than William. had been his biggest military threat.
When did Harold Godwinson's troops arrive in London to fight William, Duke of Normandy?
Harold Godwinson's troops arrived in London on 6th October 1066.
When did the Battle of Hastings occur?
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14th October 1066.
How many knights did William, Duke of Normandy have in his army at the Battle of Hastings?
William's army consisted of approximately 800 knights. Knights fought on horseback, had chainmail and were equipped with multiple weapons including a lance and a mace.
What key group of soldiers did Harold Godwinson lack in the fyrd at the Battle of Hastings?
Harold Godwinson's army lacked archers. Harold did not wait for all of the fyrd to arrive in Hastings before the battle. On the other hand, William had lots of archers in his army.
Who set up their troops on the high ground at the Battle of Hastings - Harold Godwinson or William, Duke of Normandy?
Harold Godwinson gained the high ground, called Senlac Hill, at the Battle of Hastings. This gave Harold a tactical advantage in the battle.
Define shield wall in the context of the Battle of Hastings.
A shield wall was a military tactic in ancient and medieval warfare. Troops organised themselves in a line interlocking their shields. Harold's housecarls were trained in performing shield walls. They formed one at the top of Senlac Hill.
Why was William's use of archers effective at the Battle of Hastings?
William's archers were only effective after the collapse of the shield wall. William's archers could stand closer to Harold's army, providing better angles to hit more soldiers.
Define the feigned retreat in the context of the Battle of Hastings.
A feigned retreat is a tactic where one side pretends to flee, hoping to draw the enemy out of position. The Norman retreat may have been genuine or fake in the Battle of Hastings. Either way, it was effective in breaking the Anglo-Saxon shield wall.
Why did William, Duke of Normandy, wait a long time before crossing the English Channel?
William waited to cross the Channel as he knew Harold would disband the southern fyrd. As soon as Harold disbanded the fyrd, William set sail for England.
True or False?
William's forces brought parts of a castle with them to England.
True.
The Normans constructed a castle at Hastings from sections created in Normandy. This sped up the process of castle-building and gave them protection from enemies.
Why did WIlliam, Duke of Normandy allow his men to pillage when they arrived to England in 1066?
William allowed his men to pillage because the Normans' brutality would force Harold to confront him in open battle.
Name two examples of William, Duke of Normandy's good luck before the Battle of Hastings.
William had good luck before the battle because:
William's fleet was not destroyed when crossing the English Channel in winter
Harold's forces had been weakened at the Battle of Gate Fulford
What happened to Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings?
Sources, like the Bayeux Tapestry show that Harold was killed by an arrow to the eye at the Battle of Hastings. Without Harold's leadership, the Anglo-Saxon forces collapsed.