While Harold celebrated his northern triumph, William of Normandy landed on the southern coast of England at Pevensey on September 28, just three days after Stamford Bridge. He brought with him a professional Norman army, cavalry, archers, and papal support. William claimed he was the rightful heir and branded Harold a usurper and oath-breaker.

News of William’s landing forced Harold to act once more. He and his battered army turned south. He marched approximately 250 miles in just over a week, rallying forces along the way. Yet many of his thegns had already returned home after Stamford Bridge. Harold now faced a fresh, well-prepared Norman army with a weary, though loyal, force.

The Final Stand: Battle of Hastings

On October 14, 1066, the armies met near the town of Hastings. Harold took a strong defensive position atop Senlac Hill, forming a shield wall — a traditional Anglo-Saxon tactic. The Norman attacks, led by William, were relentless but initially ineffective. The shield wall held, and the Normans began to falter. At one point, rumors spread that William had been killed, and the Normans nearly broke.

But William rallied his men and employed a cunning tactic — feigned retreats. When the Anglo-Saxons broke formation to pursue the fleeing Normans, they were cut down by cavalry. Over time, the shield wall weakened.

In the late afternoon, Harold was struck down. Tradition says that he was killed by an arrow to the eye, a fate immortalized in the Bayeux Tapestry. Others suggest he was hacked to death by Norman knights. Either way, with Harold’s death, the Anglo-Saxon resistance collapsed.

Legacy of a Fallen King

Harold’s body was buried, perhaps at Waltham Abbey, though the exact location remains uncertain. His death marked the end of Anglo-Saxon kingship in England. William the Conqueror would be crowned king on Christmas Day 1066, ushering in a new Norman era.

Harold’s reign lasted only nine months, but in that short time, he fought two epic battles, marched his army across the kingdom twice, and faced down two of the most formidable military leaders of the age. Though defeated, his courage and leadership are still remembered. He died defending his land against foreign invaders — a symbol of the last stand of a native English monarchy before the tide of Norman conquest swept all before it.

Conclusion

The story of Harold Godwinson is a tale of valor, tragedy, and the swift turns of fate in medieval power struggles. From his unexpected coronation to the chaos of twin invasions and his final breath on the battlefield at Hastings, Harold’s march to his end was both heroic and heartbreaking. In many ways, he was the last of a kind — the final echo of a Saxon England that would soon be reshaped by the iron hand of Norman rule. shutdown123