Conquest

He smiled at Hereward with a self-belief that was infectious. Hereward went to rally the men. It did not take him long, nor did they need much reassurance. They had fought many campaigns with Harold; as long as the King was in good spirits, they were too. Wisdom was a great comfort in difficult times.

Harold’s coastal inspection had reached Chichester by the time Alphonso returned. He reported that he had attached himself to the preparations being made by Robert, Count of Mortain, who was required by Duke William to provide 100 ships for the invasion. Adept with rope and leather, Alphonso had helped prepare the ships for the hundreds of horses that would have to make the perilous crossing to England.

‘My Lord King, an almighty host is gathering for the invasion. Two thousand ships have been built. Sea captains, farriers, carpenters, blacksmiths, armourers, tanners and saddle-smiths have come from all over Europe, and every adventurer, outlaw, mercenary and cut-throat from lands far and wide is joining the Duke’s war band. There are Hungarians, Bohemians, Bavarians, Frenchmen and Flems. I saw crossbowmen and archers practising every day, and over two thousand knights in full armour have gathered with their war horses.’ Alphonso, conscious that he was describing a terrifyingly potent enemy, tried to offer some words of comfort for Harold. ‘But you have time, my Lord King; the fleet will not begin to assemble until August, when it will gather at the port of Dives. There it will wait until the Duke is certain that all is adequately prepared before he moves the ships to the mouth of the Somme at St Valery. The veteran sailors I spoke to said it would not be wise to set sail for at least a month after that because the horses will need to be settled.’

The King queried the delay. ‘Why a month?’

‘Sire, they will stable the horses on the ships while they are still in dock, to get them used to the movement and the surroundings. With such a large number to transport, they must be tethered very closely together, so must stay calm. My estimate is that the Normans cannot sail until September at the earliest, by which time the autumn tides and winds may bring havoc to their plans.’

‘Alphonso, your report is excellent. What do you make of the Normans’ morale?’

‘My Lord King, their morale is excellent. Early fears about the crossing have lessened, as everyone has seen the painstaking care being taken with the preparations. The farmers are being well paid for their produce; every town and village is flush with the Duke’s gold and silver and they are working night and day to provide everything that is needed. The fighting men have only one concern — the English housecarls. But every day of training makes them stronger and their confidence grows. The popular view is that the destriers will break the English shield wall.

‘Thank you, Alphonso, we are indebted to you.’

‘There is one more thing, sire.’

Alphonso looked at Hereward for reassurance. What he was about to tell the King would not please him.

‘Alphonso, the King needs to be apprised of everything, no matter how bleak.’

‘I have seen many exceptional armies prepare for war, but these Normans are impressive. Roger of Montgomery is quartering the men, horses and supplies like a Roman general, and families that have feuded for decades are standing shoulder-to-shoulder. They have the smell of conquest in their nostrils; they believe a kingdom which is theirs by right has been snatched from their grasp, so they mean to prevail by force of arms.’

The King stood solemnly. ‘I thank you for your honest account; it is invaluable to us. When you are rested, go to your comrades and family at Glastonbury. Regain your strength there; we are going to need you.’

‘Thank you, sire.’ Alphonso bowed and left the tent.

The King sat down with a sigh. ‘Hereward, you have found a good man in Alphonso. There was little in his account to comfort me, but he gave it lucidly and without hesitation. I feared that William’s threat would be grave, but he is not only bold, he is also careful and meticulous. Few men would attempt what he is planning; I never expected he would bring such a large force across the Channel.’

Hereward felt certain that Harold would have much preferred to have been Earl Marshal to a wise and generous liege, rather than carry the burden of kingship himself.

With every day that passed, Hereward’s admiration for the King grew. As Harold continued along the coastline into his lands in Wessex, Hereward knew that the time had come to entrust the Talisman to the man for whom he was sure it was destined.

After dinner one warm evening, Hereward reminded the King of its pedigree, and of Torfida’s interpretation of its meaning.

‘I will wear it with honour. Pray that it brings me the wisdom I shall need.’

It was early May when the first skirmish of the calamitous events of 1066 occurred.