The battle in which the destruction of the shield wall changed Western
Europe forever.
In 1066, a foreign invader won the throne of England in a single battle
and changed not only the history of the British Isles but of Christendom
forever. Harold Godwinson's army, exhausted from their victory against
an invading Norwegian Viking army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in
the north, and his navy, scattered by storms, could not hold back
William of Normandy. But would the invasion have succeeded if the two
armies had met on equal terms?
Author and ex-Captain in the Royal Anglian Regiment Jonathan Trigg
brings a soldier's eye to the story to explain the precise circumstances
of the conflict and the reasons for the outcome. The Battle of Hastings
is in fact a tactical lesson in the use of all arms: Harold's forces
consisted entirely of infantry. William had the best cavalry in Europe,
perhaps the world, heavily armoured and armed with lance and shield. He
also had crossbowmen, never before seen in England. This book gives a
clear, concise account of the Battle of Hastings and the events that
influenced it, supported by a timeline of events and orders of battle.
Over fifty images illustrate the events during this momentous campaign.
