All About History 1066 & The Battle of Hastings

As the sun set on the evening of 14 October 1066, the trajectory of England’s history diverged to an altogether new path. King Harold lay dead on Senlac Hill, his forces defeated and William, Duke of Normandy, stood as victor. In his short reign, Harold Godwinson had repelled the Viking forces of Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge, but his battle-worn and exhausted soldiers had been unable to withstand the strength of the Norman forces. The All About History Book of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings investigates the events that lead up to the Norman Conquest, from the overseas threat of battle-hardened Vikings, to the squabbles that led to a shaky line of succession after Edward the Confessor died without an heir. Follow the events of each of the three battles that took place in 1066 with illustrated maps detailing each army’s tactics. Uncover the strife and violence that coloured William the Conqueror’s early reign, from taking London away from the clutches of an uncrowned boy-king, to the decimation caused by his campaign to quash a rebellion in the north of England. William’s victory at Hastings changed England’s culture, landscape and language and we reveal how the Norman Conquest still resonates today.