Definition

Proper noun A major and decisive military engagement fought on October 14, 1066, between the Norman-French army of William, Duke of Normandy, and the English army under King Harold II. The Norman victory led directly to the Norman conquest of England, profoundly altering the course of English history, language, and culture.

Usage

The term is used to refer specifically to this singular historical event. - The Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066. - Many historians study the tactics used at the Battle of Hastings. - The site of the Battle of Hastings is marked by Battle Abbey.

Advanced Usage

• To meet one's Hastings: An idiomatic expression (though rare) alluding to encountering a decisive, fateful defeat or challenge, derived from the battle's outcome for Harold II.
  • The controversial policy proved to be the prime minister's Hastings.

Variants and Related Words

• Hastings: Often used alone as a shorthand reference to the battle in historical discourse.
  • The events leading up to Hastings were complex.
• Norman Conquest: The direct historical consequence of the battle.
• Senlac Hill: The name sometimes used for the actual hill upon which the battle was fought.

Synonyms

• The Conquest (when referring to the event as the start of the Norman Conquest)
• The fight at Senlac (a less common, more specific locational synonym)

Related Phrases

• 1066 and All That: A phrase popularized by a satirical history book, often used to humorously signify the importance of this date and the battle in English history.
• Arrow in the eye: A popular legend associated with the death of King Harold II during the battle.

Noun

1. the decisive battle in which William the Conqueror (duke of Normandy) defeated the Saxons under Harold II (1066) and thus left England open for the Norman Conquest