The Normans held the center of William’s three battle divisions at Hastings.
William arranged his army in three broad divisions, often called “battles,” based partly on the origins of the troops. Bretons and forces from Anjou, Poitou and Maine formed the left; Normans occupied the center under William’s direct command; and French troops, including men from Picardy, Boulogne and Flanders, formed the right.
The central position reflected William’s authority and the importance of keeping his command group at the heart of the army. His relatives and close followers were concentrated there. The arrangement also gave him a position from which he could observe the fighting and respond when parts of the line faltered.
The division names can cause confusion because medieval sources used “Norman” both for people from Normandy and, more broadly, for William’s invading coalition. The Bretons were not Normans, and the Flemings and other French contingents were separate groups. The center, however, was specifically the Norman division.