Meanwhile, there are other claims to the crown that Harold has to contend with during 1066, and he is on guard the whole summer primarily defending the south coast of England as he knows the greatest threat will come from Normandy.
If we look to WOP here, he reports something extremely interesting that doesn’t make much sense to begin with, but some later actions in the campaign make it revealing.
“Harold meanwhile, ready to give battle on land or sea, spread out a vast army over the greater part of the sea-coast, and sent spies whom he had cunningly suborned across the sea. One of these was captured, and when he tried to conceal the purpose of his journey with the pretext he had been taught, the duke showed his magnanimity in these words: ‘Harold is not short of gold and silver with which to buy the loyalty and skill of you and others who come to spy on us. As to what our plans and preparations are, would not my presence instruct him more certainly than he might wish, and more swiftly than he imagines? Take this message to him from me: he will have nothing to fear from me and can live the rest of his life secure if, within the space of one year, he has not seen me in the place he thinks safest for his feet.’”
It’s worth re-reading that last sentence—it’s cryptic for certain, but is it a threat? A warning?
We will re-visit that later.
After this, William busies himself with his plans for the invasion and Harold keeps watch on the south coast of England.
William is delayed by bad weather all summer and Harold, with dwindling supplies and an imminent harvest, disbands his south coast army on September 6th, just as he learns of an invasion in the north, which he promptly marches up to Yorkshire to deal with and is successful in mounting a surprise attack and defeating his brother, Tostig, and the Vikings in the battle of Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, William gets the good weather he has been hoping for, and on 28th September 1066, he lands on English soil.
I want to pause a minute here and make a point.
There is enough in the sources to suggest that everything about the invasion has been planned out very carefully.
At first glance, the sources seem to talk about a smooth landing, but there are factors that don’t settle very well.
Sources say the landing took place at Pevensey, and after capturing the old Roman fort there, they made their way east around the tidal area of Pevensey Bay, via Hailsham, Herstmonceux, and Boreham St.
The entire army? Conservatively 7,000 troops, 2500 horses, and a retinue of servants, priests, pages, and grooms probably totalling another 1,000 all traipsing around the countryside?
What I think really happened is given to us in Wace, where he states that William first landed at Hastings where a camp was setup. There is an image in the Bayeux Tapestry showing men digging and building a motte and placing a pre-made structure on the top of it which may show this.
I want to re-emphasise the deliberate nature of these actions. There is definite purpose in what the Normans do.
According to Wace, the following day, William visits the Saxon Shore Fort at Pevensey and is unopposed just as they had found no resistance at Hastings.
They assemble a pre-made fort with a quickly built motte, and leave a garrison while a smaller cavalry force makes the circuit around Pevensey Bay, foraging and devastating manors and houses as they go on their way back to the camp at Hastings.
At the Hastings camp, the pre-made fort is more like a watchtower. It is placed next to the main ridge road and on the highest point of the ridge. It commands control of the road and has visibility for miles.
The area of the camp is also on a wide plateau, there is easily enough room for the entire army, with water and grazing for horses. Ultimately, it’s also just 1.5 miles from the eventual battlefield.
I have examined other potential sites in the area and none fulfil all these characteristics.
It seems William has come well prepared and done his homework.
I have mentioned a few times about purpose behind these actions and I want to cast your mind back to the message William sent to Harold through his spy:
“he will have nothing to fear from me and can live the rest of his life secure if, within the space of one year, he has not seen me in the place he thinks safest for his feet.”
The land William has occupied and used to set up his Hastings camp is on the manor of Crowhurst.
According to The Doomsday book, this manor was owned in 1066 by Earl Harold, Harold Godwinson, King of England.
Therefore, William is standing on Harold’s own land.
This is why I say that everything has been deliberate. His presence is a definite insult to Harold, and to be frank, the affront seems to have worked as it causes a fury in Harold that seems to blinker him to the need for caution. Is this why he does not wait in London for better troops?
“Meanwhile experienced knights, who had been sent out scouting, reported that the enemy would soon be there. For the furious king was hastening his march all the more because he had heard that the lands near to the Norman camp were being laid waste.”
Lands near the Norman camp, Harold’s lands, manors burned, people he knows displaced.
But who is this fury directed at? Dare I suggest… maybe it’s himself. Maybe he realises that the time he spent with William while he was in Normandy the year before told William more than Harold realised at the time and is now being used against him and he has noone but himself to blame for the betrayal.
Now, ask that question again… why doesn’t he wait in London for better troops?
Why would he wait is a better question.
Does William have the measure of Harold? If we recall back to Normandy; “‘We know’, he said, ‘Harold’s wisdom; it inspires us with fear, but increases our hope’.” It seems so, and what happens next reveals an even greater understanding of his opponent.