Changes

In many modern accounts, the Battle of Hastings is shown to be was a very close affair. This, as we have seen, was true closely fought battle and as long as the Anglo-Saxons shield-wall held they were able to repel the Normans. It is widely reported that the death of Harold changed the tide of battle. Until his death, the battle was headed to a bloody stalemate. The sudden death of the king of England changed the course of the clash and probably altered the course of English and global history.  However, while it is known for certain that Harold was killed during the battle his death did not doom the Anglo-Saxons to defeat . <ref>Marren, p 119</ref>. In fact, it seems that the The last Anglo-Saxon king was killed when after the tide of battle had shifted decisively in favor of the invaders from France. The feigned retreat ordered by William had worked brilliantly and his counterattack had effectively won the day for the man who would be known to history as the first Norman king of England. One of the greatest myths about the battle was that Harold’s death doomed the Anglo-Saxons to defeat and to their eventual domination by the Normans.