Battle At Hastings Research Paper

One of my main focuses has to do with how the formation of the armies of Harold and William shaped the outcome of the Battle at Hastings. While this is not my main point, I will say that it is a major contributing factor. Think for a moment: how could two, almost evenly matched armies meet on the field of battle and yet have such a defined victor? What did William the Conqueror have that King Harold did not. To do this, we must first look at each army in detail.
For starters, we shall look at Duke William’s Norman army. The exact numbers and composition of William's force are unknown, however contemporary documents claim that William had 776 ships and an exaggerated amount of men, varying from 14,000 to 150,000. Modern historians have offered a range of estimates for the size of William's forces: some say he had between 7,000 and 8,000 men, around 1,000–2,000 of them cavalry. Others state that he had 10,000–12,000 men, 2,000 of them cavalry.
William of Poitiers said that the Duke had 60,000 men, however this is highly unlikely, according to Marren. He goes on to say that if you eliminate all the non-fighters, such as cooks, sailors and servants, the chances are that the Norman Duke had 7,500 men; 2,000 cavalry, 4,000 heavy infantry, and 1,500 archers

The armament of the men is of lesser debate. According to C.N. Barclay, most Norman soldiers had an almost uniform style while in battle. The main armor used was chainmail hauberks, usually knee-length, with slits to allow riding, some with sleeves to the elbows. Some hauberks may have been made of scales attached to a tunic, with the scales made of metal, horn or hardened leather. Headgear was usually a conical metal helmet with a band of metal extending down to protect the