Why Is the Battle of Hastings Funny
There's no question that the Battle of Hastings was the most important conflict in British history. Fought between the Anglo-Saxons (led by Harold of Wessex) and the Normans (headed by William of Normandy), the Norman victory led to William becoming king and instituting feudalism, fundamentally altering British society and the country's destiny. As fundamental as Hastings was, the battle itself was more than just two guys with a claim to the throne. There is a lot to unpack from the battle and, as such, there are a great number of interesting facts.
###History is Written by the Victors
The Bayeux Tapestry is the primary record we have of the Battle of Hastings. It was commissioned by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux who was a half-brother to William, so it's not exactly an unbiased account. The tapestry presents Harold in a terrible light, attempting to undermine the legitimacy of his rule while painting William in a heroic light. There are debates about to what extent the tapestry is a chronicle or a propaganda piece.
###With One Hand Behind Their Backs
Which arguably is how Harold's army must have felt going into the fight. Harold had been preparing for William's upcoming invasion when the Norwegians led by King Hadrada and Godwinson's own brother Tostig. Harold had to march his forces 185 miles north to deal with the threat, ultimately defeating them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. He then had to march 185 miles again after William landed to meet him at Hastings. It's believed this contributed to William's victory with Harold's forces greatly diminished.
###Run Away!
Or so the Anglo-Saxons must have thought. The Normans had a method of fighting called "feigned flight", in which they would look like they were retreating, a move that forced the Anglo-Saxons to break ranks and give chase, thus opening themselves to attack.
###You'll Shoot Your Eye Out
Going back to the bias of the Bayeux Tapesty, one of the most-reproduced moments from it quite possibly never happened. Harold is famously depicted as having been shot in the eye, but the truth is that he was likely beaten to death by William's men and possibly William himself.
###Send in the Clowns
The first person to die was William's own jester, Taillefer. Taillefer was juggling his sword and singing to the English troops when one of them decided to rush him. The jester killed the would-be assailant and charged alone into the English lines, where he died.
###Lunch Break
There was never an official cessation of the fighting, but both sides ended up taking a break for lunch which they used to regroup and discuss tactics.
###Three-to-One
Another advantage that helped William was that he had 15,000 troops at the battle to Harold's 5,000.
A Town Called Battle
The battle itself didn't take place in Hastings, but about 6.5 miles north. The town where the battle was located is now called Battle. As penance for the blood he spilt, William constructed Battle Abbey on the site (the altar is said to have been where Harold died). It remained a house of worship until King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries when the house was gifted to Henry's friend Sir Anthony Browne, who tore down much the church.
###Longer than Most
Battles at that time tended to be over in a couple of hours, but the Battle of Hastings lasted from about 9 AM until dusk (hence the need for the aforementioned lunch break).
###A Christmas Crowning
After defeating Harold, William marched onwards to London and had himself crowned King of England on Christmas Day, 1066.
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Source: https://anglotopia.net/british-history/ten-interesting-facts-about-the-battle-of-hastings/
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