William the Conqueror’s invasion plans
Rebecca Tyson reexamines William the Conqueror’s 1066 invasion plans – and explores the huge challenges his forces faced in crossing the Channel
William the Conqueror famously defeated King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066. But in order to achieve this victory, he first had to get his army (and some 2000 horses) across the sea from Normandy. So how exactly did he manage that gargantuan task? Speaking to David Musgrove, Rebecca Tyson reveals how a wealth of maritime knowledge and experience was required to pull off this extraordinary feat.
Authors
David Musgrove is content director of the HistoryExtra.com website and podcast, plus its sister print magazines BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. He has a PhD in medieval landscape archaeology and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.