Few events have been so decisive for English history as the Norman invasion of 1066. The death of the childless King Edward the Confessor put Harold Godwinson, the new Anglo-Saxon king, on the throne, but started a struggle among some claimants to the English throne, among them Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, and William, Duke of Normandy. So, their armies set sail to fight for their leaders’ rights to be the next King of England.
The King of Norway was killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, so the destiny of the realm would be decided in a fierce, crucial battle between the Saxons and the Normans at Hastings. At the end of the day, Duke William, soon to be known as “the Conqueror”, was victorious, and a new era started for England.
The Normans were descendants of Viking raiders who settled in the area of Normandy, France. They were fierce warriors, and their army was a mixed ensemble of infantrymen, archers and cavalry.
Our bust depicts a Norman elite warrior, carrying the Papal flag that Pope Alexander II gave Duke William as a token of endorsement for his conquest project.
Note: This is a resin miniature kit that requires assembly and painting.
