The Battle of Hastings: incapable allies and lack of martial discipline undo King Harold

In 1066 following the death of King Edward, Harold began and ended his reign as King of England. Several months after the coronation ceremony, both the Norse vikings and King William of Normandy with his army invaded the coasts of England. Harold had originally placed his army on the southern coast to defend against the Norman invassion, then marched North when the vikings invaded first and prooved too much for his northern allies. The vikings were soon crushed, and none too soon as William and his army landed at Susseux. After a swift march South, Harold met with William outside of Hastings and battle ensued.

Despite marching all over the countryside and back and being forced to take a defensive possition, Harold had the advantage as he held the high ground with a narrow avenue of approach. William needed a swift victory or else Harold would continue to muster his army. The Norman archers, heavy infantry and cavalry attacked the hill and could not break the defenders' shield wall for much of the day. To make the story brief, the line only failed after small groups of Harold's army, most of them not professional soldiers, continually broke rank to persue fleeing enemies and then were in turn isolated and destroyed. Harold himself was eventually killed.

Thus bagan the Norman rule of England.