When was the Battle of Hastings?

The Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066, specifically on 14 October. It was a decisive clash between the invading Norman army led by William, Duke of Normandy, and the English army commanded by King Harold Godwinson.

The battle followed a succession crisis after the death of Edward the Confessor. Harold had already defeated a Norwegian invasion at Stamford Bridge in northern England, but William landed in Sussex soon afterward. Harold marched his exhausted forces south, where the armies met near the present-day town of Battle, about seven miles north of Hastings.

The fighting lasted from morning until dusk. The English defended a strong shield-wall position, while the Normans used infantry, archers, and cavalry. Norman feigned retreats helped draw some English soldiers away from the defensive line. Harold was killed, probably near the end of the battle, and his army collapsed. William was crowned king of England on Christmas Day that same year, making 1066 a turning point in English history.