Live Steel Reenactment:
the battle of Hastings event of 2006
The scream of heroes still resounds over the battleground" -- Thy Majestie
Most of the Norman army lined up.
The Norman champion Taillefer ("cut iron") challenged the English, and in a sharp duel slew their champion. Half a dozen English warriors then ran out to avenge their comrade, overwhelmed Taillefer and killed him. (On Saturday, we English cheered this as an act of intelligence, to trap a formidable foe with odds on our side. But on Sunday, we Bretons "Boo!"(ed) this cowardly, unchivalrous, base behavior.)
The marksmen begin the battle. Note the crossbow-men to the extreme right. Each division had a couple of these cool troops, and they liked to get in really close during the melee and take sniper shots at any exposed English fighters.
Here's a crossbow-man from the Franco-Flemish right.
The infantry moves up to assault the English line.
Cavalry of the Franco-Flemish right, with their marksmen behind, and the archers of the Norman center to their left.
The Franco-Flemish infantry clash with the English left. (TFBO trivia: the big, happy warrior in the red tunic is Alex Pickard -- "Arnstenn".)
The English left has fighters without helmets, including some brave (or foolhardy) tough girls! (TFBO trivia: That's Ian Judd, "Gunnar" -- sans helmet -- wielding a Dane axe or two-handed spear, I can't tell which from the blur.)
The attack upon the English line continues. That's one daring crossbow-man, and some very small Franco-Flemish fighters (either under-aged boys or small-framed girls: someone told me that c. 30% of the fighters were females, but I didn't see that many myself).
James Barker's wife happened to stand directly behind where I was with the English center. And so now I have some pics of me, as I had hoped to see if my wife had been there taking them. During the initial Norman infantry attack: that's me just above the spectator with the bald head. Looks like I was facing off with a couple of “beardless youths”, i.e. female reenactors.
Taking my turn rotated to the back rank.
During a lull, you can see my Dane axe stuck upright in the ground to the right of the funky archer with the furry hat (how did he get past the kit inspection with that head piece?).
Harold's center has withstood the Norman attack.
The Norman cavalry prepare to attack.
Norman cavalry ride up to the English line (note the papal banner).