Year 10 - History
Battle of Hastings
British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils study an aspect of British medieval history in depth. They learn about the social, economic, religious and political events that influenced the lives of those who lived in this period.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to give an account of the Battle of Hastings.
Key Notes
- William of Normandy invaded England after Harold had fought the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
- Harold's army consisted of an elite of housecarls with the majority being the untrained peasant conscripts of the fyrd.
- Harold held the high ground on Senlac Hill with a shield wall.
- William's army mainly consisted of professional soldiers using a mix of archers and cavalry charges.
- William's tactics brought him victory while Harold and many Anglo-Saxon nobles were killed.
Vocabulary To Learn
- fyrd: the Anglo-Saxon fyrd was an army made up of mostly untrained conscripts from England's peasant population
- housecarl: the housecarl was an elite unit of the Anglo-Saxon army: a well-trained and well-equipped soldier
- knight: the knight was the elite unit of the Norman army: a soldier who fought on horseback, riding a specially-trained war horse
- shield wall: a shield wall is a military tactic where soldiers stood in a long line overlapping their shields to form a wall of shields
- feigned retreat: a feigned retreat is when soldiers pretend to retreat in order to lure the enemy into a more vulnerable position
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The shield wall was not a very sophisticated or effective military tactic.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
William of Normandy invaded England after Harold had fought the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Harold's army consisted of an elite of housecarls with the majority being the untrained peasant conscripts of the fyrd.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'fyrd'
the Anglo-Saxon fyrd was an army made up of mostly untrained conscripts from England's peasant population.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: The shield wall was not a very sophisticated or effective military tactic. Correction: In fact the shield wall proved effective in holding off the Norman attacks for many hours.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Anglo-Saxon kingship Study Guide
- Battle of Stamford Bridge Study Guide
- Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law Study Guide
- Continuity and change in Norman government Study Guide
- Daily life in Norman England Study Guide
- Domesday Book Study Guide
- Edward the Confessor, the Godwins and William of Normandy Study Guide
- Edward the Confessor's death and the claimants to the throne Study Guide
- Establishing control: motte-and-bailey castles Study Guide
- Establishing control: new earls and earldoms Study Guide
- Justice and the legal system in Norman England Study Guide
- Key figures in the government of Norman England Study Guide
- Land and inheritance in Norman England Study Guide
- Lanfranc's reforms Study Guide
- Life in towns in Norman England Study Guide
- Life in villages in Norman England Study Guide
- Norman reforms of English monasticism Study Guide
- Reasons for William's victory in 1066 Study Guide
- Revolts against William I, 1067-1075 Study Guide
- The Anglo-Saxon Church Study Guide
- The built environment of Norman England Study Guide
- The Harrying of the North, 1069-70 Study Guide
- The king and the Church in Norman England Study Guide
- The Norman Church Study Guide
- The Norman feudal system Study Guide
- The Reform Papacy Study Guide
- The submission of London in 1066 Study Guide
- William's consolidation of power Study Guide
- Work and diet in Norman England Study Guide
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