\paperw5085 \margr0\margl0\ATXph16380 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 The Norman victory at Hastings on October 14, 1066 was a singularly influential event. It not only initiated the rul
e of a line of Norman kings, but also entailed the replacement of most of the previous English aristocracy by men whose origins were in Normandy and other parts of northern France. Moreover, the advent of the Normans also revolutionised warfare in Britai
n. The battle of Hastings was the victory of a heavily-armed cavalry over a dismounted force which fought on foot. Though the Bayeux Tapestry suggests that the English and Norman troops had similar arms and equipment, in fact the Normans were the most s
ophisticated warriors of their time in Europe. They experimented with couched lances and adapted their stirrups and saddles so that the mounted knight became an effective instrument of war.
