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Battle of Hastings Facts & Worksheets

The Battle of Hastings was won by William the Conqueror who was crowned King of England in 1066

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The Battle of Hastings was the clash of two military systems. The battle was between the Norman forces led by William the Conqueror and the Anglo-Saxon forces by King Harold Godwinson. William’s forces overwhelmingly won the battle. He was crowned the King of England on December 25, 1066.

See the fact file below for more information on the Battle of Hastings or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Battle of Hastings worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Background

  • The Anglo-Saxons upon migrating from the North Sea Coastlands inhabited England from about 410–1066 AD until the Norman conquest. 
  • On January 5, 1066, the second last Anglo-Saxon ruler, Edward the Confessor, died without an apparent heir. 
  • Several contenders claimed to be the rightful successor to the throne, Two of them were Edward’s immediate successor, Harold Godwinson, and a Norman, William, Duke of Normandy.
  • Harold Godwinson came from the most prominent Anglo-Saxon family. He was the son of Godwin, the most powerful Earl of Wessex, and related to King Cnut the Great of England and Denmark. 
  • He was also the brother-in-law of King Edward the Confessor. Upon the latter’s death, the Witenagemot appointed Harold to be the successor of the late King on January 6 and named him King Harold II.
  • William The Conqueror, on the other hand,  was the Duke of Normandy from 1035 onwards. 
  • He faced several challenges before becoming a duke because of his illegitimate birth and youth. He was the only son of Robert I, who succeeded the duchy from his elder brother Richard III.
  • William was also related to King Edward the Confessor through the King’s maternal uncle, Richard II of Normandy. 
  • William claimed that King Edward promised him the throne during his visit to England in the latter part of 1051. There are inconsistent reports about the validity of William’s statement. However, it became the reason for his invasion of England. 

Invasion of Other Contenders

  • Aside from William the Conqueror, there are two other contenders for the Anglo-Saxon throne that King Harold II had to deal with first. 
  • His exiled brother, Tostig Godwinson, invaded England by raiding the southeastern region with a fleet he had recruited in Flanders in May 1066. He moved north and raided East Anglia after seeing Harold’s fleet. The Earls Edwin and Morcar drove him back to his ships. His men later deserted him, which forced him to flee to Scotland. 
  • While in Scotland, Tostig persuaded King Harald III Hardrada of Norway to invade England. 
  • The King also claimed that he had the right to be the successor of King Edward based on an agreement between his predecessor Magnus the Good and the King of England, Harthacnut, that if one of them were without an heir, the other would inherit England and Norway. 
  • King Harald III of Hardrada and Tostig invaded York in early September.  They took hostages and acquired provisions. King Harold and his army from London dashed northward and surprised his brother at Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066, and killed Tostig and Hardrada along with their men. 

The Battle of Hastings

  • King Harold II anticipated the attack from the Normans as soon as he was crowned the new King of England. He spent all summer preparing for the invasion by assembling his troops on the Isle of Wight. 
  • However, William’s fleet remained in port for seven months. On September 8, King Harold II ordered his troops to disband and return to London because their provisions were running out.  
  • It was also the time King Hardrada III and Tostig chose to invade England. From London, King Harold II and his army raced up to the north and defeated Tostig and King Hardrada III.
  • While King Harold II and his troops were waiting at the Isle of Wight, William and his fleet were having difficulty sailing to England.
  • Several of his ships sank in storms, which forced them to take shelter at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and wait for the wind to calm down.
  • The Norman fleet arrived at Pevensey on the coast of East Sussex on September 28, three days after King Harold II and his men engaged in the Battle of Stamford Bridge. The Saxon army marched around 200 miles to intercept William in Sussex. 
  • The Norman troops consisted of archers, cavalry, and infantry. The first two carried straight swords, long and doubled-edged, and the infantry used javelins and long spears. Archers used crossbows, but most did not use armor. 
  • King Harold II’s army consisted of fyrd led by the local leaders, serving under a local magnate, whether an earl, bishop, or sheriff. England could form about 14,000 men for the fyrd. 
  • The King also had his housecarls, who served as the backbone of the royal forces. The Saxon army fought on foot with the nobles or the housecarls in superior armor. Their battle weapon was the battle-axe. They seemed not to have enough archers. 
  • The Saxon army arrived at the northwest portion of Hastings on October 13, 1066. They put up a rough fence of sharpened stakes along the line, fronted by a ditch. Harold ordered his troops not to move from their position whatever the provocation. 
  • The next day, William moved forward to attack the Saxon position. The battle lasts for a day, with heavy casualties on both sides. At midday, Saxon’s position was compromised after an assault from the Normans resulted in Harold’s army retreating in confusion.  
  • Incessant attacks by the Normans began to break the Saxons up. The barrage of arrows hit King Harold II’s eye and caused his death. 
  • His death was followed by the retreat of his brothers, Earl Girth and Earl Leofwin, and the remaining housecarls. 
  • In the late afternoon, most of the Saxon army began to flee the field while the others continued to fight until they were all killed, which ended the battle.

The Aftermath

  • The Saxons did not immediately accept William as their new King. Before reaching London, the Witenagemot proclaimed Edgar the Atheling as their new King. William had to then defeat the English forces that attacked him on his way to London. 
  • The English leaders finally surrendered to William at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. In Westminster Abbey, the Duke was crowned as the King of England by Ealdred on December 25, 1066.

Battle of Hastings Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Battle of Hastings across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about the Battle of Hastings was the clash of two military systems. The battle was between the Norman forces led by William the Conqueror and the Anglo-Saxon forces by King Harold Godwinson.

  • Battle of Hastings
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Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Battle of Hastings Facts
  • William The Conqueror
  • The Year 1066
  • Troops at Hastings
  • The Battle of Hastings
  • Before the Battle
  • Persons of the Year 1066
  • Reasons for Defeat
  • Claims to the Throne
  • Picturing the Battle
  • Unfulfilled Promise

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Link will appear as Battle of Hastings Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 22, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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