3.1. Preparation of the invasion

The forces of the parties Military resources of the Anglo-Saxon states were quite large, but poorly organized. At the end of 1066 in the possession of King Harold was not even a permanent fleet, except for a small number of ships and ports provided by the south-east coast. The cores of the Army were the king and earls. Anglo-Saxon army perhaps was the largest army in Western Europe. The main problems of the armed forces of England were to concentrate troops in the desired location, the inability to maintain long-term Army readiness, poor system of defensive structure, a weak introduction of modern warfare methods in Europe, as well as the lack of attention to the cavalry and archers. A well-developed military system had well trained and armed military forces. The main striking force of the army was knight cavalry. The archers were widely used. A significant portion of the troops were mercenary soldiers. William was able to assemble and to attract the knights. William was perfectly familiar with all aspects of modern warfare. He had an excellent reputation as a knight commander; it attracted human resources to his army throughout the North of France. War with the kings of France and the counts of Anjou allowed the Normans to improve tactics against large enemy formations and to establish direct cooperation between the armed services. William’s army consisted of feudal militia: Norman barons and knights, cavalry and infantry troops from Brittany, Picardy, and other French areas, as well as mercenary troops. On the eve of the invasion William organized the mass ship construction. In early 1066 William started preparations to invade England. William's reputation ensured inflow of his army of knights from Flanders, Aquitaine, Brittany, Maine, and Norman principalities of southern Italy. As a result, the actual Norman contingent of troops was less than half. William also won the support of the emperor, and, more importantly, Pope Alexander II, who had hoped to strengthen the position of the papacy in England and the Archbishop dislodge renegade Stiganda. The Pope is not only supported the claims of the Duke of Normandy to the English throne, but, having handed over its hallowed banner of the blessed invasion of the participants. This enabled William to give his character the event of "holy war". Preparations completed by August 1066, but a strong north wind did not allow to start a ferry across the English Channel for a long time. The total number of the Norman army, according to modern scholars, there were 7-8 thousand people which was carried by a fleet of 600 ships. The English king also led preparation to repel the Norman invasion. He convened a national militia in the south-eastern regions of England, and placed troops along the southern coast. A new fleet had been rapidly formed and the king was the head of it. In May Harold succeeded repelling the raid of his rebellious brother Tostig in the eastern regions of the country. However, in September, Anglo-Saxon system of naval defense fell apart: the lack of food forced the king to disband the militia and navy.

3.2. The battle of Hastings Two days after the battle of Stamford Bridge, the winds in the English Channel has changed. The Norman army immediately began getting on ships of the William’s fleet from Saint-Valery in the evening of September 27. The crossing took all night, and there was a moment when the ship of the Duke detached from the main forces and left alone, but there were no British ships in the strait and transportation of the army successfully completed in the morning of September 28th in the bay near the town of Pevensey. Norman army left Pevensey surrounded by swamps, and moved to Hastings, a more convenient port from a strategic point of view. William built a castle here and awaited the approach of Anglo-Saxon troops by sending small teams into the depths of Wessex to conduct exploration and production of food. Harold II heard about the landing of Normans and sent orders to the national appeal of new volunteers, and moved quickly to the south. The speed of his advance was so high that it doesn’t allow additional contingents to join the royal army. Moreover, part of the army, mainly light infantry and archers, had lagged behind the main forces. For ten days Harold covered the distance from York to London and without wasting time made to meet the Norman army. King's advisers, including a brother Geert, offered to wait for the complete assembly of troops and then attack the enemy. Historians believe it is a major strategic mistake: as William was in hostile territory, isolated from their bases with La Manche, time was an advantage in the position of the Saxons. Apparently, Harold sought to avoid the destruction of his personal possessions. Anglo-Saxon troops were about 7,000 people, mostly members of the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the militia from the outskirts of London. Despite the rapidity of the movement the Saxons, the effect of surprise was lost. On October 14, 1066 Norman army troops attacked the Anglo-Saxons. In the battle of Hastings, in spite of heroic resistance, British troops were defeated. The battle lasted for a very long time - more than ten hours; it was quite rare for the Middle Ages. The victory of the Normans was due to better combat capability of soldiers, as well as the massive use of archers and heavy cavalry. King Harold and his two brothers were killed and several thousand Saxon soldiers picked left lying on the battlefield. The country has remained a leader, able to organize resistance to the Normans. Battle of Hastings was the turning point in the history of England.

3.3. William The Conqueror - first king of England England was opened for the invaders after the Battle of Hastings. During October - November 1066 Kent and Sussex were captured by Norman army. Queen Edith, widow of Edward the Confessor and sister of Harold II, recognized the claims of William, passing under the control of the ancient capital of the Anglo-Saxon rulers - Winchester. The main center of resistance remained in London, where Edgar Eteling, the last representative of ancient Wessex dynasty, was proclaimed the new king. But the troops surrounded the William’s London, devastated the surrounding area. National party leaders - Archbishop Stigand, Edwin and Morcar, himself a young Edgar Eteling - were forced to surrender. And they brought Berkhemsted oath of allegiance to William and recognized him as king of England. Moreover, they insisted on the immediate coronation of the Duke. Soon Norman troops marched to London. On December 25, 1066 at Westminster Abbey, William was crowned King of England. While Coronation of William I was in line with the Anglo-Saxon tradition, which was to convince the population of the legality of the rights of the new English king; the power of the Normans first time exclusively relied on military force. The erection of the fortress the Tower of London began in 1067 and then Norman castles have grown throughout the southern and central England. Anglo-Saxons’ lands that were occupied in the Battle of Hastings, were confiscated and distributed among the soldiers of the invader’s army. By the end of March 1067 William the Conqueror's position was strengthened somewhat, and he was able to make a long trip to Normandy. He was accompanied by leaders of the Anglo-Saxon party - Prince Edgar, Archbishop Stigand, Edwin and Uoltaf and hostages from among the other noble families.

Chapter 4: Changes after the invasion

4.1. General principles A direct consequence of the invasion leads to the near-total elimination of the old English aristocracy and the loss of control over the Catholic Church. William systematically dispossessed English landlords and conferred their property on his continental followers. The Doomsday Book meticulously documents the impact of this colossal program of expropriation, revealing that by 1086 only about 5% of land in south of England Tees was left in English hands. Even this tiny residue was further diminished in the following decades, the elimination of native landholding mostly completed in southern parts of the country. Natives were also purged from high governmental and ecclesiastical office. After 1075 all earldoms were held by Normans, while Englishmen were occasionally appointed as sheriffs. Likewise the Church senior English office-holders were either expelled from their positions or kept in place for their lifetimes but replaced by foreigners when they died. By 1096 no bishopric was held by any Englishman, while English abbots became uncommon, especially in the larger monasteries. However, despite the appearance of a return to "good times" of King Edward (after the usurpation of Harold), the power of the Normans in England was based primarily on military force. In December 1066 redistribution was already started of land in favor of the Norman knights, which has acquired a universal character after "The devastation of the North" 1069-1070 gg. By the 1080th year Anglo-Saxon nobility was completely destroyed as a social layer (with a few exceptions) and replaced with the North French chivalry. A small group of the most noble families of Normandy - William's closest associates - received more than half of all land holdings, and immediately took land possession from the king (about a fifth of land in England). The nature of land holdings was completely changed, and became the classic feudal features: land barons are provided the condition of issuing a certain number of knights to the king if necessary now. The whole country was covered with a network of royal or baronial castles, which was military bases, providing control over the districts, and the residences of the officials or the barons of the king. A number of areas in England (Herefordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Kent, and Sussex) were organized as a paramilitary territory which was responsible for the defense of borders.