14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings

After 5th January 1066 King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 38) convened the Council of Lillebonne at Lillebonne to raise support for his claim to the English throne. The attendees are not known but likely to have included his companions at the subsequent 14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings including Roger "The Great" Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Bishop Odo of Bayeux.

On 14th October 1066 the Norman army led by King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 38) defeated the English army of King Harold II of England (age 44) at the 14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings fought at Senlac Hill Hastings. Aimery Thouars (age 42), Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 24), Eustace Flanders II Count Boulogne (age 51), William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 46), Geoffrey Chateaudun II Count Mortain III Count Perche, William Warenne 1st Earl of Surrey, Raoul Tosny, Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 26), Hugh Grandesmil (age 34), Roger "The Great" Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (possibly), Robert Mortain Count Mortain 1st Earl Cornwall (age 35) and Bishop Odo of Bayeux fought for William.

King Harold II of England was killed. Earl Wessex, Earl Hereford extinct.

Leofwine Godwinson 2nd Earl Kent (age 31) was killed. Earl Kent extinct.

His brothers Gyrth Godwinson Earl East Anglia (age 34) and Engenulphe Aigle (age 56) were killed.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 14th October 1066. Meantime Earl William (age 38) came up from Normandy into Pevensey [Map] on the eve of St. Michael's mass; and soon after his landing was effected, they constructed a castle at the port of Hastings. This was then told to King Harold (age 44); and he gathered a large force, and came to meet him at the estuary of Appledore. William, however, came against him unawares, ere his army was collected; but the king, nevertheless, very hardly encountered him with the men that would support him: and there was a great slaughter made on either side. There was slain King Harold, and Leofwin (age 31) his brother, and Earl Girth (age 34) his brother, with many good men: and the Frenchmen gained the field of battle, as God granted them for the sins of the nation. Archbishop Aldred and the corporation of London were then desirous of having child Edgar (age 15) to king, as he was quite natural to them; and Edwin and Morkar promised them that they would fight with them. But the more prompt the business should ever be, so was it from day to day the later and worse; as in the end it all fared. This battle was fought on the day of Pope Calixtus: and Earl William returned to Hastings, and waited there to know whether the people would submit to him. But when he found that they would not come to him, he went up with all his force that was left and that came since to him from over sea, and ravaged all the country that he overran, until he came to Berkhampstead; where Archbishop Aldred came to meet him, with child Edgar, and Earls Edwin and Morkar, and all the best men from London; who submitted then for need, when the most harm was done. It was very ill-advised that they did not so before, seeing that God would not better things for our sins. And they gave him hostages and took oaths: and he promised them that he would be a faithful lord to them; though in the midst of this they plundered wherever they went.

Chronicon ex Chronicis. 14th October 1066. While these events were passing, and when the king (age 44) might have supposed that all his enemies were quelled, he received intelligence of the arrival of William (age 38), earl of Normandy, with an innumerable host of horsemen, slingers, archers, and foot soldiers, having taken into his pay auxiliary forces of great bravery from all parts of France; and that he had moored his fleet at a place called Pevensey [Map]. Thereupon the king led his army towards London by forced marches; and, although he was very sensible that some of the bravest men in England had fallen in the two [recent] battles [Battle of Fulford and 25th September 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge], and that one half of his troops was not yet assembled, he did not hesitate to meet the enemy in Sussex, without loss of time; and on Saturday, the eleventh of the calends of November [Note. 22nd October.The battle was fought on the 14th of October.], before a third of his army was in fighting order, he gave them battle at a place nine miles from Hastings, where they had built a fort. The English being crowded in a confused position, many of them left their ranks, and few stood by him with resolute hearts: nevertheless he made a stout resistance from the third hour of the day until nightfall, and defended himself with such courage and obstinacy, that the enemy almost despaired of taking his life. When, however, numbers had fallen on both sides, he, alas! fell at twilight. There fell, also, his brothers, the earls Gurth (age 34) and Leofric (age 31), and almost all the English nobles. Earl William led his army back to Hastings.

Carmen Widonis.

Cum dux prospexit regem super ardua montis	When the Duke beheld the King upon the steep of the hill,
Acriter instantes dilacerare suos.	Fiercely tearing into his men who pressed around him.
Advocat Eustachium : linquens ibi prælia Francis,	He calls Eustace, who, leaving there the fight among the Franks,
Oppressis validum contulit auxilium.	Brought strong aid to the hard-pressed.
Alter ut Hectorides, Pontivi nobilis heres,	Another, like the son of Hector, the noble heir of Ponthieu,
Hos comitatur Hugo promtus in officio;	Hugo, swift in service, accompanies them;
Quartus Gilfardus, patris a cognomine dictus :	The fourth was Giffard, bearing his father's name:
Regis ad exitium quatuor arma ferunt.	Four warriors together bear arms for the King's destruction.
Ast alii plures ; aliis sunt hi meliores.	Yet there were many others, but these were better than the rest.
Si quis in hoe dubitat, actio vera probat :	If anyone doubts it, the deed itself bears true witness:
Per nimias cedes nam bellica jura tenentes	For through excessive slaughter, those who upheld the laws of war
Heraldus cogit pergere carnis iter.	Harold compels to take the path of flesh [i.e. to die].
Per clipeum primus dissolvens cuspide pectus	He, the first to pierce the shield and breast with his spear,
Effuso madidat sanguinis imbre solum.	Soaks the ground with a rain of blood poured forth.
Tegmine sub gales caput amputat ense secundus,	Beneath the covering of his helmet, the second [warrior] severs the head with his sword,
Et telo ventris tercius exta rigat:	And with a weapon the third pierces and drenches his entrails;
Abscidit coxam quartus, procul egit ademptam.	The fourth cuts off his thigh, and hurls it far away.
Taliter occisum terra cadaver habet.	Thus the earth holds the corpse of the slain.
Fama volans " Heraldus obit" per prealia sparsit :	The rumour, flying, "Harold is dead," spreads through the ranks of battle;
Mitigat extemplo corda superba timor ;	Straightway fear softens proud hearts;
Bella negant Angli, veniam poscunt superati :	The English refuse further war and, conquered, beg for mercy:
Vivere diffisi, terga dedere neci.	Despairing of life, they turn their backs to death.