KS_outline_period2_military

=Blaming of the Housecarls/Fyrd for the fall of England and the loss of the Battle of Hastings =

 1. Introduction Thesis 
 *  a.  Hello, we the people of england are here to convict the housecarls and fyrd for the loss of England's independence. 
 *  b.  England lost its independance during the Battle of Hastings, due to the housecarls and fyrds' selfishness. 
 *  c.  We gathered various reasons as to why the housecarls and fyrd are guilty; they failed to protect England and stay loyal to King Harold. 

2. The fyrd doubted Harold’s ability to lead them to victory as well as their own ability to defeat William’s army. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">a.  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The fyrd were very stubborn and selfish as to how the war should be planned.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> b.  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Harold told Evyn to go spy on the militia, to hear the thoughts they had on the agenda for the war.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">  i.    <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> On page 224 Harold told Evyn, “Evyn, walk among the men. Tell me what they say. I need to know what is in their hearts.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">d. The fyrd did not have faith in Harold’s plan and did not trust him.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">  i.    <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Evyn approached a camp fire surrounded by members of the militia, and easdropped on a conversation some men were having among themselves.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> ii.   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> One of the men said, “I, too, have a bad feeling on this one, friend. We should have waited for Earl Edwin to join us with his army.” Another man responded.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> iii.   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">“Yes, where are the northerners? By my count, fewer than five hundred joined along the way. We marched hard to help them at Stamford Bridge. But now that Tostig and Harald Hardrada are slain, they forget about us when we are in need of help. They sit around their hearth fires drinking warm ale while we sleep on the cold ground waiting for the Norman devils.”

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> a. On the day of the Battle of Hastings, Harold told his men the battle plans. "He (which was Harold) commanded the men to line up on the crest of Senlac Ridge, and the wall began to take shape". Harold told his men that "We need only stand firm. Plant your feet, and let come at us. They cannot break this wall". The fyrd and housecarls should be held responsible because they did not have faith in Harold's plan and did not trust him. During the battle, the housecarls and fyrd did not follow Harold's orders because they did not believe it would work. So they did what they wanted to and got out of formation leaving the shield wall wide open, allowing the Normans to enter.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">2. Evidence/Commentary **

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> b.  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The orders were to stay in a line and protect England, they became bored and started to get out of line and tried to take action and in doing so killed them self and opened up the shield wall. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> c.  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">This happened by following Hakon’s example, running out of the shield wall and having single combat, then the Normans turned and killed the English. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">4. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> The fyrd and housecarls should be held accountable; during the Battle of Hastings, the men of the fyrd started to flee during Williams last attack of the day, when Harold was slain. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial">a. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> If these men stayed in the shield wall and fought, Harold's army would have prevailed, therefore saving England. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> after stating our evidence and commentary we must come to a conclusion that the fault truly is the housecarls /fyrd. it was there job to protect england and they failed, it was thier job to stay in formation and yet again failed and last it was their job to trust King Harold and they didn't. the housecarls and fryd knew the battle of hasting would be hard for them and if they didn't follow Harold they would die. we have made this part important in all our evidence becuase if the fyrd hadn't fled then england would still be our country. also if the fryd hadn't attack then Harold would not have had to turn around and tell them thier orders. After harold was killed everyone lost hope and fled and died. it was the fyrds fault because they had no war experience they were farmers that were sent there just to add more men. Now people of the counsel Help us come together and punish the fyrd/housecarls for what they have cost us our freedom.**
 * 3. Conclusion

The fryd and housecarls didn't follow the most important orders that Harold gave them. The orders were to stay in a line and protect England. They became bored and started to get out of line and tried to take action and in doing so killed themselves and opened up the shield wall. This happened by following Hakon's example running out of the sheild wall and having single combat. Then the Normans turned and killed the english. the housecarls and fyrd didn't trust king harolds jugment wich led to fear for themselfs and unbelivment in themselfs. when harlod was killed they lost all confidece and just fled even though killed in the process.this is very important to why england lost his independece becuase the housecarls didn't have faith in there country and king.

As the battle began and the first charge was taken by William, the wall held firm but as the Normans retreated, some men left the wall to chase them, and wer killed. As the battle went on, more and more lives were lost from both sides of the battle and on the very last attack, when Harold was slain, some men of the fyrd began to flee. This shows that the men of the fyrd were more loyal to their own lives and a little to Harold rather than to what was important, their country, England. If these men stayed in the shield wall and fought, Harold's army would have prevailed therefore saving England although sadly losing Harold.