“See, I have taken England with both my hands.”
One of the most famous battles in English history, the Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army led by William, Duke of Normandy and an Anglo-Saxon English army under Harold Godwinson. The culmination of the succession crisis following the death of King Edward the Confessor and the beginning of the Norman conquest, the Battle of Hastings led to William’s ascent to the throne and, to date, remains the final successful invasion of England. The Battle of Hastings remains a pivotal moment in history and has continued to be studied by everyone from students to seasoned historian academics. With everything from the size of the armies to the fate of Harold still shrouded in speculation, debate and mystery, check out the best 1066, Saxon, Norman and Battle of Hastings books with us here at What We Reading for all the latest findings and discoveries!
The Battle Of Hastings: The Fall Of The Anglo-Saxons And The Rise Of The Normans – Jim Bradbury
First up on our list of the best books about the Battle of Hastings is Jim Bradbury’s The Battle of Hastings, one of the most comprehensive historical narratives on the best-known battle in English history. The book begins with a guide on who the Normans were and where the came from, as well as the life and career of their ruler, William the Conquerer.
Bradbury also examines the state of Saxon England and the challenges faced by Harold Godwinson. Detailing the military developments of the two sides in the build-up to 1066, including the striking differences in their tactics, armour and arms, Bradbury is able to offer one of the first accessible and most detailed reconstructions of the battle step-by-step, bringing to life its context in eleventh-century Europe and English as a whole.
The Norman Conquest: The Battle Of Hastings And The Fall Of Anglo-Saxon England – Marc Morris
Marc Morris’ The Norman Conquest opens with an account of the Anglo-Saxon kings of England and how the fledgling nation of England was constantly rocked by conflict. He charts how Harold Godwinson defeated his Viking namesake at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and how his defeat at the Battle of Hastings led to the destruction of the Anglo-Saxon warrior caste and ushered in the forceful Norman occupation.
Morris’ history of the collapse of Anglo-Saxon England takes readers on a tour through some of the most important players during this era, shedding new light on some of the most recognisable names in English history. From Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson to William the Conquerer, The Norman Conquest is an epic drama crammed with intrigue, bloodshed and betrayal.
1066 And Before All That: The Battle Of Hastings, Anglo-Saxon And Norman England (A Very, Very Short History Of England #1) – Ed West
One of the best books on the Battle of Hastings for understanding its significance and lasting legacy on England, Ed West explores the tumultuous year of 1066 and its devastating effects for the losing side of its battles in 1066 and Before All That.
Aimed at newcomers to the subject, 1066 and Before All That explains how the disastrous battle for Harold Godwinson and the Saxons changed England and the English forever. Ushering in a new period of chivalry, castles and horse-bound knights, the Norman society was built around conflict, a new reality that would come to define England during the Medieval era.
The Anglo-Saxons: An Enthralling Overview Of The People And History Of England From The Early Middle Ages To The Battle Of Hastings – Billy Wellman
Much of the spotlight on the Battle of Hastings and its legacy has been shone on William the Conquerer and the victorious Normans over the course of history. However, in his 2024 book, The Anglo-Saxons, Billy Wellman whisks readers back to the tumultuous times of post-Roman England where tribal kingdoms battled one another and a new culture emerged.
In a captivating journey spanning centuries from the dawn of the Early Middle Ages to the defining Battle of Hastings, Wellman guides readers through how new settlers in England took advantage of the vacuum left behind by the Romans, the pivotal role missionaries played in bringing Christianity to the country, the laws, manuscripts, and traditions that governed their systems, the everyday lives and routines of the Saxons, as well as their fierce clashes with the Vikings and Normans that would usher in a new era of dominance.
The Battle Of Hastings 1066 – The Uncomfortable Truth: Revealing The True Location Of England’s Most Famous Battle – John Grehan And Martin
The Battle of Hastings is arguably the most defining event in English history. Because of this, almost every single detail about the engagement has been analysed by scholars and interpreted by historians for nearly a thousand years since it took place. Yet, one of the most fundamental aspects of the battle has never been seriously questioned: where it actually happened. In his book, The Battle of Hastings 1066, John Grehan and Martin Mace not only attempt to right this but even present the case of how we might have been studying in the wrong place all this time.
In this in-depth study, Grehan and Mace examine early sources and contemporary interpretations to reveal the tantalising evidence that historians have opted to overlook because it does not fit the long-held view of where the Battle of Hastings was fought. One of the most fascinating accounts of the battle, the authors investigate the terrain of the battlefield as well as the archaeological data to unveil exactly where the history of modern England was truly forged.
The Battle Of Hastings: The Fall Of Anglo-Saxon England – Harriet Harvey Wood
Another one of the best books about the Battle of Hastings that aims to reinterpret the ways in which the battle is viewed in today’s world comes from Harriet Harvey Wood in The Battle of Hastings. In it, she attempts to show how, rather than bringing culture and enlightenment with them to the shores of England, the Norman conquerors’ aggressive invasion brought an end to a long-established and highly-developed civilisation that was far ahead of its European counterparts in the field of art, literature and political institutions.
Harvey Wood explores the background, lead-up and motivations behind the key players involved in the most famous year in English history, as well as the state of warfare in both England and Normandy in 1066, and of the battle of Hastings itself. In one of the most engaging works on the battle, Harvey Wood highlights how bad luck cost Harold Godwinson the victory he should have enjoyed, and what England lost as a result of his defeat and death.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
