A highly readable narrative of one of the most crucial clashes in British history: the encounter between England's Harold the Second and Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. At stake was the British crown itself: it was the last time the country was successfully conquered by a foreign power...and the outcome determined England's future. Here is a meticulous and illuminating analysis of this closely-fought battle, with an examination of the underlying causes of the struggle, as well as a look at the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. A graphic, blow-by-blow account of the fighting completes the study.