The Battle of Hastings, 1066

1066 remains the most evocative date in English history: King Harold was defeated by William the Conqueror, and the rule of England passed abruptly from the control of Saxon to that of Norman kings. M.K. Lawson re-writes this pivotal turning point in English history by subjecting the sources to the most detailed analysis ever undertaken. As a result, the consensus of opinion about many aspects of the battle, established in the late nineteenth century (and hardly questioned since), is shattered. Many of the facts about the battle have been deduced from the Bayeux Tapestry. M.K. Lawson takes a critical new look at this vital source subjecting it to a searching analysis. His conclusions are explosive. He advances powerful reasons for believing that the figure long accepted as being Harold hit in the eye by an arrow was originally simply one of the king's bodyguards throwing a spear. He also suggests that far more troops were involved than previously believed, operating over a significantly larger area and deploying more sophisticated tactics.