By Lucy Clarke

On January 5 th, 1066 the tragic death of Edward the Confessor happened. From this death there needed to be a new King.

Edward didn’t have any children to pass the throne over to but there were 3 possible kings. Harold Godwinson, Harald Hadraada and William Duke of Normandy.

William assumed he was getting the crown because he was Edwards cousin and Edward promised him the crown, but the English didn’t want someone from outside of England.

The English didn’t want a foreigner to become thier new king so the decided to put Harold Godwinson forward because he was the richest and most powerful man on the land.

William was not at all happy so he got an army together of people and horses and sailed over to Hastings. As soon as Harold heard the news he raced down to meet them.

Harald was already not capable of being the king because he had to give up on an earlier fight with Harold.

Harold set his army up on top of the hill where they were able to see every move William and his army made. Harold had also made a shield wall at the top of the hill to give extra protection. William had a larger army but he also had archers and men on horses.

The battle starts when the loud trumpeters give there call and for the rest of the day both the armies keep battling it out. At one stage A rumour gets around in Williams army that William is dead so they all retreat back.

It turns out that William wasn’t dead and because all of his army retreated back the English army followed so William’s army was able to break through the wall and keep fighting.

During the fight Harold got shot in the eye by an arrow and died so then the new king was William!!