Hastings 1066: The Fall of Saxon England (Campaign) [Paperback]

Christopher Gravett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 1992 | Series: Campaign (Book 15)

Very few battles of the medieval period can be regarded as decisive but Hastings was certainly one of them. Fought on 14th October 1066 between Duke William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson, king of England, the outcome irrevocably changed the course of English history. William's victory was largely due to the tactical superiority of his forces: not only did he possess infantry and cavalry, but also a significant number of archers or crossbowmen, to whose withering fire the English could make little reply. The eventual death of King Harold prompted an English collapse - the successful outcome ensuring William's accession to the English throne.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Highly visual guides to history's greatest conflicts, detailing the command strategies, tactics, and experiences of the opposing forces throughout each campaign, and concluding with a guide to the battlefields today.

About the Author

Christopher Gravett is assistant curator of armour at the Tower Armouries, and a recognised authority on the arms, armour and warfare of the medieval world. His previous Osprey titles include Elite 17 Knights at Tournament, Warrior 1 Norman Knight 950-1204 AD and Campaign 13 Hastings 1066.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855321645
• ISBN-13: 978-1855321649
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,666,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High quality geopolitcal military history, June 26, 2001

By 

Michael K. Smith (South Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hastings 1066: The Fall of Saxon England (Campaign) (Paperback)

The Norman invasion of England has always fascinated me, as it has a great many English-speaking historians. Gravett is a military historian/wargamer, so his approach is very detailed. You can follow the invasion, from the geopolitical rationale behind it to its preparation and the landing at Pevensey, almost day by day, mile by mile. And the culminating battle -- a pretty close thing, actually -- minute by minute and yard by yard. The strategic and tactical maps are excellent and there are also a number of plates displaying typical arms and armor on both sides.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Weak on context of campaign, comparisons of opponents, March 20, 2010

By 

Yoda (Hadera, Israel) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hastings 1066: The Fall of Saxon England (Campaign) (Paperback)

This book does a fairly good job at describing the battles that eventually led to Hastings and the actual battle itself but, unfortunately, if falls weak on providing a context of why the war itself occurred. Most Osprey Campaign series books provide a few pages providing a geopolitical context regarding, the causes of the campaign's the cover and the nations/forces involved. Unfortunatley this one does a poor job hence the reader does not really know (at least based on reading the book) as to why the campaign was fought and what the opposing side's goals were. In addition, although there is fairly decent discussion regarding the commanders on both sides, there is little discussion comparing the opposing sides armies. What was lower and middle officer quality like? What about troop quality? Were there differences in tactics? These, among other questions, are simply unanswered. These are gaps that should not have been left open.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Battle of Hastings, November 22, 2008

By 

James A. Mcmann (Anderson, South Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hastings 1066: The Fall of Saxon England (Campaign) (Paperback)

This book is very helpful for anyone interested in this very significant event in the history of England. The author is a superb authority of this period of time.