Editing Norman Conquest (section)

===Battle of Hastings===
{{Main|Battle of Hastings}}
[[File:Bayeuxtapestrydeathofharold.jpg|Likely depiction of Harold's death from the Bayeux Tapestry|thumb]]

The battle began at about 9&nbsp;am on 14 October 1066 and lasted all day, but while a broad outline is known, the events are obscured by contradictory accounts in the sources.<ref name=Huscroft126>Huscroft ''Norman Conquest'' p. 126</ref> Although the numbers on each side were probably about equal, William had both cavalry and infantry, including many archers, while Harold had only foot soldiers and few archers.<ref name=Carpenter73>Carpenter ''Struggle for Mastery'' p. 73</ref> The English soldiers formed up as a [[shield wall]] along the ridge, and were at first so effective that William's army was thrown back with heavy casualties. Some of William's Breton troops panicked and fled, and some of the English troops appear to have pursued the fleeing Bretons. Norman cavalry then attacked and killed the pursuing troops. While the Bretons were fleeing, rumours swept the Norman forces that William had been killed, but William rallied his troops. Twice more the Normans made [[Feigned retreat|feigned withdrawals]], tempting the English into pursuit and allowing the Norman cavalry to attack them repeatedly.<ref name=Huscroft127>Huscroft ''Norman Conquest'' pp. 127–128</ref> 

The available sources are more confused about events in the afternoon, but it appears that the decisive event was the death of Harold, about which different stories are told. [[William of Jumièges|William of Jumieges]] claims that Harold was killed by William. The [[Bayeux Tapestry]] has been claimed to show Harold's death by an arrow to the eye, but this may be a later reworking of the tapestry to conform to 12th-century stories that Harold had died from an arrow wound to the head.<ref name=Huscroft129>Huscroft ''Norman Conquest'' p. 129</ref> Other sources state that no one knew how Harold died because the press of battle was so tight around the king that the soldiers could not see who struck the fatal blow.<ref name=Marren137>Marren ''1066'' p. 137</ref> William of Poitiers gives no details about Harold's death.<ref name=Gravett77>Gravett ''Hastings'' p. 77</ref>