William at first met no resistance. Harold was far away in
the north fighting against the Norwegians, who had seized the opportunity to
make another descent on the English coast. Harold defeated them decisively and
then hurried southward to face his new foe. The two armies met near Hastings on
the road to London. All day they fought. The stout English infantry, behind
their wall of shields, threw back one charge after another of the Norman
knights. Again and again the duke rallied his men and led them where the foe
was thickest. A cry arose that he was slain. "I live," shouted
William, tearing off his helmet that all might see his face, "and by God's
help will conquer yet." At last, with the approach of evening, Harold was
killed by an arrow; his household guard died about him; and the rest of the English
took to flight. William pitched his camp on the field of victory, and "sat
down to eat and drink among the dead."
WILLIAM BECOMES KING
The battle of Hastings settled the fate of England.
Following up his victory with relentless energy, William pressed on to London.
That city, now practically the capital of the country, opened its gates to him.
The Witenagemot, meeting in London offered the throne to William. On Christmas
Day, 1066 A.D., in Westminster Abbey the duke of Normandy was crowned king of
England.
WILLIAM'S PERSONALITY
What manner of man was William the Conqueror? Tall of
stature, endowed with tremendous strength, and brave even to desperation, he
seemed an embodiment of the old viking spirit. "No knight under
heaven," men said truly, "was William's peer." A savage temper
and a harsh, forbidding countenance made him a terror even to his closest
followers. "So stern and wrathful was he," wrote an English
chronicler, "that none durst do anything against his will." Though
William never shrank from force or fraud, from bloodshed or oppression, to
carry out his ends, he yet showed himself throughout his reign a patron of
learning, a sincere supporter of the Church, and a statesman of remarkable
insight. He has left a lasting impress on English history.