An arrow that changed the world

What does the date 1066 have to do with Napoleon, Henry the fifth, and even Hitler?
One of the most exciting things about studying history, to myself anyway, is the notion of historical turning points. They are sometimes called "what if moments."
What if Napoleon had waited til summer to invade Russia, or what if the Japanese had sent the intended land invasion at Pearl Harbor.

Well a major turning point came into being with the death of the English King Edward the Confessor in January of 1066. Edward is said to have promised the throne to a kinsman of his back home in Normandy, a man called William. However on his deathbed he recanted and named the powerful English noble Harold Godwinson king. William of Normandy saw this as a declaration of war and started to gather the Norman troops to his standard. In the north, the King of Norway, Harold Hardrada also had a small link to the throne. He was called on by Harold Godwinson's brother and together they sought the disputed throne of England. Hardrada landed his troops, around fifteen thousand screaming vikings, in the north of England and won a great battle against the northern earls. He believed that this was the final victory and took two thirds of his troops to seek plunder and tribute. The Norse warriors left behind their heavy armor, thinking they would be on a pleasant hike and slaughter expedition.

Harold Godwinson marched his troops north and met the ill prepared Norse at Stamford Bridge near York. After a vicious fight, Hardrada and most of his troops were killed. The English soldiers and their king thought they could settle down to a nice victory. Meanwhile back in Normandy, William had gathered Norman troops from as far south as Italy and his fleet was on the move. Harold Godwinson had to force march his battered army south to meet the new threat. History tells us that the Norman cavalry slaughtered the English axe men, and that Harold Godwinson was supposedly dispatched with an arrow to the eye.


Forgive me for boring up viking invasions and early knights charging through infantry, but our purpose lies elsewhere.

-The What Ifs of this battle are staggering. I picked out two of my favorites.
I) What if the Vikings had kept their armor and not been separated.
Both sides had perfected the shield wall tactic and this would have been an even bloodier battle than the real one. Heavily armed ranks of men slamming into each other, the sounds of wood breaking on metal and bone. I might be biased towards the Norse but I think they could have won the day. As far as William, his army would have dispatched the Norse if they dared come that far away from their ships. I doubt they would have done this. A Norse warrior would never venture too far from that lifeline. They would probably pillage the north and hunker down. Maybe a separate Norse state of Northern England might have existed for a short time. Just enough for William to resupply his mighty forces.

II) The mother of What Ifs in this scenario. What if Harold Godwinson's shield walls had held? What if the Norman cavalry grew too tired to continuously charge Senlac hill? What if the arrow had missed Harold Godwinson? What if the English had defeated the Normans and kept their country.
I believe this would have had a hugely profound impact on the world. If William the Conqueror hadn't conquered, then the English Kings would have no real claim on Normandy. If they had no claim then hundreds of years of bad blood between the English and the French might not have happened. The hundred years war might have never been fought. The Saxon English might have been content to rule their kingdom and never expand into the mighty British Empire. America and Canada might have been French or Spanish countries. And if England remained Saxon, then closer ties with Germany might have existed. The French might not have had brother England to look to when World War One rolled around. What if England and Germany united to defeat the French and Russians? What if the French Americas helped against an Anglo-German alliance? If an Anglo-German alliance was successful than there would be no opportunity for a syphilitic Austrian corporal to bring humanity to new lows.

One of the greatest losses would be an account of the battle of Agincourt by a little known poet and playwright called William Shakespeare. I leave you with the most stirring speech in the English language. Think about how an arrow flying a foot to the left or the right could have robbed the world of this priceless work of art.


From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.