Starter quiz
- Who was defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
- Tostig Godwinson ✓
- Harald Hardrada ✓
- Harold Godwinson
- William Duke of Normady
-
- The ______ is the group that was raised to defend the southern coast after Harold Godwinson's coronation.
- 'fyrd' ✓
- A group of ships, or all of the ships in a country's navy is known as a ______.
- 'fleet' ✓
- Which of the following statements are important in explaining Harold’s victory at Stamford Bridge?
- The Vikings were not equipped with weapons.
- The Vikings were not all wearing armour. ✓
- Harold’s surprise attack. ✓
- Harold’s army never crossed Stamford Bridge.
-
- Who landed on the south coast of England three days after the English victory at Stamford Bridge?
- William Duke of Normandy ✓
- Harold Godwinson
- Tostig Godwinson
-
- This keyword is used to describe the people injured or killed in a war or in a specific battle.
- 'Casualties ' ✓
Exit quiz
- What are housecarls?
- an elite unit of the Anglo-Saxon army: well-trained and well-equipped soldiers ✓
- the elite unit of the Norman army: soldiers who fought on horseback
- an army made up of mostly untrained conscripts from England’s peasant population
-
- What signalled the start of the battle?
- trumpets ✓
- Harold's arrival
- housecarls calling
-
- What was the preferred formation of the English army?
- feigned retreat
- shield wall ✓
- positioning at the top of a hill
-
- How long did the battle last?
- one hour
- three hours
- five hours
- eight hours ✓
-
- Who tipped back his helmet to show he was still alive?
- Harold Godwinson
- William, Duke of Normandy ✓
- Harold’s brother, Leofwine
-
- Which tactic did William reportedly use to successfully weaken the English shield wall?
- archers' attack from behind the shield wall
- downhill charge by knights
- feigned retreat ✓
-
Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- William of Normandy invaded England after Harold had fought the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
- Harold's army consisted of an elite of housecarls with the majority being the untrained peasant conscripts of the fyrd.
- Harold held the high ground on Senlac Hill with a shield wall.
- William’s army mainly consisted of professional soldiers using a mix of archers and cavalry charges.
- William's tactics brought him victory while Harold and many Anglo-Saxon nobles were killed.
Common misconception
The shield wall was not a very sophisticated or effective military tactic.
In fact, the shield wall proved effective in holding off the Norman attacks for many hours.
Keywords
Fyrd - the Anglo-Saxon fyrd was an army made up of mostly untrained conscripts from England’s peasant population
Housecarl - the housecarl was an elite unit of the Anglo-Saxon army: a well-trained and well-equipped soldier
Knight - the knight was the elite unit of the Norman army: a soldier who fought on horseback, riding a specially-trained war horse
Shield wall - a shield wall is a military tactic where soldiers stood in a long line overlapping their shields to form a wall of shields
Feigned retreat - a feigned retreat is when soldiers pretend to retreat in order to lure the enemy into a more vulnerable position