帝国征程26

The core of the army was provided by the 5,000 Thanes, or noblemen, of England.

And in addition there were the 13,000 part-time soldiers, known as the "fyrd",

and mobilised by their lords, obliged to give the king two months service each year.

With amazing speed, this army was stationed along the south coast.

By August 10th, William had his army in place along the Normandy coast.

Two great fighting forces bent on each other's annihilation faced each other across a little strip of water to determine the destiny of England.

And there they sat, William waiting for a southerly wind that never came, and Harold waiting for William, who never came.

This waiting was particularly serious for Harold.

By the first week of September he'd kept the fyrdin battle position for at least two weeks longer than their two-month obligation.