LONDON, March 21, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - King Harold's legendary 200-mile march across England to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 is a "myth" that likely never happened, according to research published Saturday. In arguably the most famous battle in English history, the Anglo-Saxon leader was defeated by William the Conqueror, who became the first Franco-Norman king of England, at Hastings on October 14, 1066. The Chronicle recounts that Harold's ships "came home". For at least 150 years, historians understood that to mean the king dismissed his fleet in September 1066. "Harold's campaign was not a desperate dash across England, it was a sophisticated land-sea operation.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 21, 2026 03:16 UTC