The Battle Of Hastings 1066

Sunday 4/08/1066:  

I just got trough the time machine! All the people look very strange to me: they are very small. The streets are very small and they are also very dirty because the people throw their detritus on the streets. The streets don’t smell very well because they clean the streets  only one time a year. When it rains the streets are very muddy. On the street there are many people who sell clothes and other stuffs. People are working on the street. Animals like cows and pigs are on the street. People are busy preparing the boats, making shields and weapons. It’s all  for the battle. For this reason I’m here. I know that William Duke of Normandy wants to be the king of England. Before Edward died, he had said to William that he would be the throne successor. But when Edward died, Harold Godwinson, the second most powerful man in England and an advisor to Edward ,took the throne . Harold and Edward became brothers-in-law when the king married Harold's sister. Harold Godwinson took the throne the day after Edwards death. William was very mad at Harold . He wanted to conquer the Anglo-Saxon army. King Harold went to the North side of England to attack Harald Hadraada’s army. So actually there are 3 men fighting for the throne. And I chose for William’s side!! So now all these people are working for William. I think I need to help with the boats.

Sunday 4/08/1066 evening:

I’m glad there is a house where I can sleep and eat. The houses are made of wood. The houses have only 1 space where they cook, eat, sleep and work . People have no earthemware but only wooden bowls, spoons ,… I sleep in prickly straw mattress. There are also farms and churches. The churches are made of stone.

Friday 27/09/1066: 

At last , we can go with the boats to England. We have been waiting for 6 weeks so that the wind was ok before we could leave.

Saterday 28/09/1066:

We landed by Pevensey with 3000 ships with men, sheep, weapons and horses. Nobody is on the beach . We Normans didn’t see the Saxons. We made a reinforcement on a moot. We looted the houses.

It was hard to distinguish in the fight friend from enemy. It was difficult to recognise en their harnesses. Thus one used colourful signs and shields as well as banners and flags, so one knew against whom one was fighting.



Monday 14/10/1066 :

In the morning we were on the battlefield. We were at the foot off the hill.  The Anglo-Saxons were at the top. We have many men, they are  feudatories, macrons, barons, knights, … We also have French and Flemish. We look much stronger than Harold’s army. We have knights on horses and the other don’t.  The battle begins, I’m a foot soldier. We attack.  I’m wearing a chain mail coat and a helmet. I have a shield and a spear. The men on the horses also had swords and some of them had bows.  We fight for hours and hours, the chain male is very heavy, I’m sweating. I’m a bit scared that I will be hit by a spear or a sword or something else. But I know that I am flashed as soon as someone comes down. In the middle of all this chaos, Duke William fell off his horse. We thought : “ o no Duke William is dead, what do we need to do if Duke William is dead, what was the point of going on?” But then Duke William takes another horse , he takes off his helm and shouts out to his troops, “Look at me well! I am still alive, and by the grace of God I shall yet prove victor!” King Harold has a flag with a white and red fighting  man.  Suddenly, I see that we, the Normans got the flag of King Harold.  That means that he is dead.  Harold was hit in his eye by an arrow.

It ‘s horribly to see all the dead men, some are only age 15.



Tuesday 15/10/1066:

William, duke of Normandy  is the throne successor!!  We have to hurry now.  We go for London because William will get the throne before there is someone else that takes it.

                                                 The end

charlotte De Fraye