Mind-Munitions

Chapter 5
The Norman Conquest
For the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, at least, we do have
a considerable record of the role of propaganda in medieval
warfare, left to us by William of Poitiers. William the Conqueror
portrayed his invasion as a holy war under a papal banner. Having
informed the Pope of his intentions, Poitiers described how he had
‘received of his benevolence a standard as a sign of the approval of
St Peter, behind which he might advance more confidently and
securely against his enemy’ (my italics). In fact William, Duke of
Normandy, had only a dubious claim to the throne of England
following the death of Edward the Confessor (1042-66). The
Norwegian King Harald Hardrada staked his claim by invading
England via the Humber estuary, whereupon King Harold marched
north to defeat him at the battle of Stamford Bridge near York. It
was while the south coast was left unguarded that the Duke of
Normandy staked his claim by invasion. His biographer said of
William that ‘in every battle he fought with his sword, either as the
first man or at least among the first’ and that ‘armed and mounted
he had no equal in all Gaul’. William of Poitiers again:
It was a sight both delightful and terrible to see him managing his
horse, girt with sword, his shield gleaming, his helmet and his lance
alike gleaming. For as he looked magnificent in princely apparel or the
habiliment of peace, so to be in his war-gear especially became him.
Image was clearly important for William. But then it needed to be
at the forthcoming battle of Hastings.
William’s spectacular cross-Channel invasion was mounted with
some 7000 mercenaries and volunteers (motivated by the prospect
of booty); only about half the invasion force comprised William’s