On this day, the Norman-French army of William, Duke of Normandy defeated the English army of the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, in the Battle of Hastings, thus heralding the start of the Norman conquest of England. Less than a month earlier in the north of England, Harold had defeated two contenders to the throne: his own brother Tostig Godwinson and the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada, in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September. He was still recovering when William landed his invasion forces in the south of England on 28 September. The battle started at about 9:00 a.m. and lasted most of the day. When Harold was eventually killed by an arrow in his eye, it led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army. William was crowned as King on Christmas day. The famous Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long and 50 centimetres tall, depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
