When King Harold heard that William of Normandy had landed at Pevensey with his army, he hurried south picking up as many forces as possible on the way. He had between 7,000 and 8000 men and they were mostly infantry. He positioned his army some six miles inland from Hastings on the road to London. With interlocking shields, they formed a shield wall. The Duke positioned his army below the English on October 14. The size of his army was comparable to the size of the English force.
Talifer the minstrel advanced to the front to address the French Army. He sang the Battle Song of Roland. Threw his sword in the air with one hand and caught it with the other. This signaled the Battle Cry with the entire Army screaming "VIVE LES PEUERELS". The trumpeters sounded the charge and they rode on the host with Talifer in the lead. Talifer rode on the host running an Englishman threw with his sword. He was felled by multiple spears and pikes of the English and thus began the Battle of Hastings.
The Duke and his army defeated King Harold and his army. This was the beginning of the Norman Conquest to take control of England.
In December 1066 Duke Guillaume Peuerel was crowned the King of England. He reigned as king for 21 years until his death in 1087.
William the Conqueror built BATTLE ABBEY in 1070 on the site of the Battle of Hastings.
"My ships were loaded ready
to cross the channel.
We all prayed for favorable winds.
We encountered unfavorable winds
until throne usurper Harold Godwinson's troops
were exhausted putting down a Viking attack.
Then God let us sail,
and we were victorious at the Battle of Hastings 1066."
Duke Guillaume Peuerel (William Peverel) of Normandy, France landed with his army at Pevensey, England unapposed on September 28, 1066. He took over Pevensey Castle. The Saxon King Harold had just defeated the Norwegion Viking army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire.