A contemporary document claims William’s invasion fleet had 776 ships.
The figure comes from a surviving ship list associated with William, Duke of Normandy, during his preparations to invade England in 1066. The vessels were reportedly contributed by 14 Norman nobles. The list may not represent every vessel involved, however: it excluded William’s flagship, the Mora, which was supplied by his wife, Matilda of Flanders.
The number should not be confused with the size of William’s army. Medieval writers offered wildly inflated troop totals, while modern estimates usually place the invading force somewhere between about 7,000 and 12,000 men. The fleet carried infantry, cavalry, archers and supplies across the Channel.
William’s crossing was delayed by weather and the risk posed by Harold Godwinson’s fleet. He eventually landed at Pevensey on 28 September 1066, then defeated Harold at Hastings on 14 October. Thus, 776 is best understood as the number recorded in a contemporary ship list, not a guaranteed total for every craft used in the invasion.