Dan Snow's History Hit The Battle of Hastings
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Sep 25, 2025 The podcast delves into the chaos of 1066, a year marked by succession crises and violence. It discusses King Edward the Confessor’s death and how competing claims led to turmoil. Learn about William of Normandy’s strategic invasion and the backing he received. The narrative highlights Harold Godwinson’s military preparations and his swift response to northern threats. The gripping battle tactics used at Hastings reveal how feigned retreats turned the tide, leading to Harold's fall and William's rise to the English throne.
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1066 As A Year Of Radical Change
- 1066 was a rapid year of change with three kings and multiple battles that transformed England.
- Dan Snow frames the year as a decisive discontinuity that reshaped British history.
Succession Wasn’t Automatic In The Middle Ages
- Succession in the early Middle Ages routinely provoked violence and instability.
- Dan Snow emphasizes that hereditary claim alone was rarely sufficient to secure a throne.
Harold’s Rapid Seizure Of The Throne
- Edward the Confessor died childless, leaving a succession crisis with a 13-year-old claimant, Edgar the Ætheling.
- Harold Godwinson seized the moment and was crowned quickly, using his local power base.