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William The Conqueror
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Feb 10, 2013 08:32AM
I've always thought that the fact he made it to adulthood at all without being assassinated was an accomplishment in and of itself, given how many people wanted him dead. The loyalty he inspired in Normandy gave him the chutzpah (for lack of a better word, lol) to give the island across the channel a go....although he very nearly failed. I've always thought the Battle of Hastings was one of those historical quirks where the stars aligned just right and something happened (that normally wouldn't) and changed the course of world history.
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Just goes to show, history is written by the victors. ;)Honestly, the impossible victory across the English Channel was his only hope. Normandy was a hotbed so he turned his eye to "easier" prey. Easier if he could get across the channel in one piece. Yes, luck did have something to do with it because Harold held the high ground, but William brought new tactics to the field. Tactics that would be fairly matched in Normandy but should overwhelm the Saxons. It was a gamble in many ways but one that paid off for William.
Oh agreed, he brought new tactics, but I've always thought that had not Harold been being inundated from all directions and his incredible march from the North, William wouldn't have stood a chance.
True, there are a lot of what if's. Okay, dusting off the cobwebs of memory here, but wasn't Harold's brother supposed to bring his forces in as support? William took the roundabout way into London just to wipe out Harold's brother? I could be wrong about that, like I said, the memory is pretty hazy. Have to look it up again. lol!
Michele wrote: "I've always thought that the fact he made it to adulthood at all without being assassinated was an accomplishment in and of itself, given how many people wanted him dead. The loyalty he inspired i..."IIRC, Edward (later Edward the Confessor) had named William as his heir at one time, but the English Wittan would have none of it and Harold ended up with the crown. William didn't let go so easily. I have to agree with Michele, if Harold hadn't been up and down England putting out fires his army might have had a better chance.
England certainly wasn't easy prey for William. He took a gigantic gamble which paid off, eventually. But it didn't end in 1066: there were years of resistance, much of it led by Edgar Atheling who was actually proclaimed King after Hastings.
I agree with Michele and Misfit, Harold and his men had performed brilliantly, but there were just too many fights one after the other, not to mention all the marching. One battle less and who knows what the result would have been. Maybe, somewhere, in a parallel universe........ lol! But then that would be heading into a different genre!
