Inc

A very close-run battle - might Harold have held William off if it wasn't for those pesky Vikings up north? Was this a complete coincidence, or did William have an inkling of Viking plans, I wonder?

Mike McClure

It seem to much to be a coincidence.

Quintus Sertorius

Problably both Hardrada and William knew what each other was doing. It´s not like it was easy to mass an army, and no one noticing it back in the day.

jeroenrottgering

How about this report about Hastings :

halomanuk

I was at the battlefield about a month ago,i'll try and dig up some photos.

bolero982

I full expect that William the Bastard was well aware of the invasion by Hardrada, but I doubt they were complicit with the other's plans. Hardrada's invasion had as much to do with the machinations of Tostig Godwinson as anything else, and it's entirely possible that if it wasn't for Tostig's support that Hardrada would never have pushed his incredibly thin claim.
It's ironic that the brother of the English king in many ways helped bring about the fall of Anglo-Saxon England.

Thessalonian

http://www.historum.com/european-his...gs-1066-a.html

9 days ago I started this thread too, mate!

halomanuk

The mods need to close one of these 2 threads,whichever has the less information or posts of interest.

sleeming88

We have to bear in mind that William didn't deliberately time his invasion to take place while Harold was away in the north. William would have crossed the Channel a lot sooner than he did were it not for the unfavourable weather that kept his ships bottled up in Normandy. The Normans made the crossing as soon as the weather changed in their favour and it just happened to coincide with Harold's foray against the Vikings. Had William invaded when he had wanted to, chances are Harold would have ended up fighting the Normans first rather than the Vikings.

If Harold had faced William with a fresh and full-strength army, God only knows how it might have turned out...

halomanuk

To be honest,from all i have seen of the hill postition (which is nowhere near as steep now ) on the battlefield and how boggy it could become,when i was there recently at Battle,i feel a fresher,more patient Harold would have won and won well.