How did Harold Godwinson die?
Learning objective – to investigate the
manner of the death of Harold
Godwinson through sources.
I can describe some
of the ways that
Harold might have
died.
Level 4
I can explain the
different ways that
Harold may have
died.
Level 5
I can explain and reach a
substantiated
judgement about the
likely way that Harold
could have died.
Level 6
Starter
What happened at the end of the Battle of Hastings?
The Battle of Hastings lasted a
whole day – 15th October. The
turning point of the Battle Of
Hastings was when William
tempted the English soldiers off the
hill be pretending to retreat.
After this happened a number of
times across the English battlelines,
the Normans charged at the English
and the English lines broke.
In the massacre that followed, King
Harold was killed, but how is the
question historians have been
asking for a thousand years ……….
What is the traditional view of Harold’s death?
The traditional view of Harold’s
death is that he was shot in the
eye with an arrow.
This view initially came from the
Bayeux Tapestry. This was a 70
metre long piece of embroidery
made in 1077 in Bayeux in
Normandy by local women on
the orders of Bishop Odo, Duke
William’s half brother.
This English soldier has been shot
in the eye with arrow. This COULD
mean someone important has died.
Which soldier is Harold?
Could they be the same person but the eye
in the arrow soldier be a symbol that an
important person has died?
This means ‘Here King Harold dies’
This English soldier has been
chopped down by a man on
horseback.
Source task
 There are three broad questions you should ask the content






and provenance of any source. These questions are –
INFORMATION – What does this source definitely tell me?
INFERENCES – What can I work about from the source?
QUESTIONS – What does this source not tell me?
These questions get harder as you work through them.
On the five source analysis squares, write down the answers to
each of these questions for each source.
Try to give as much detail as you can and stick these sheets
into your exercise book once you have finished them.
What next ........
Once you have analysed each source and completed the
charts, you now have to sort out the information under
different headings. These headings are –
Different ways that Harold may have died
Here you should note what weapons were used and what
stage of the battle did Harold die.
Any agreement between the different pieces of evidence.
Can you trust the evidence?
Here think about where the source comes from and who
produced it.
What do you think?
You have analysed all the sources … you have organised all
the information ……what is your conclusion? How did King
Harold actually die?
Write a paragraph summarising your opinions answering
the question in the lesson title. Always remember to use
historical evidence to support your answer.
Plenary