Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings Book XII: Th
The Battle of Hastings marks a turning point in the novel as the fate of England hangs in the balance. The Norman army led by William, Duke of Normandy, clashes with the English forces under King Harold on Senlac Hill. Despite being outnumbered, the English put up a fierce resistance, but ultimately succumb to the Norman cavalry and archers. King Harold is killed in the battle, reportedly by an arrow to the eye. The defeat marks the end of Anglo-Saxon rule in England and paves the way for Norman conquest.
By Edward Bulwer-lytton · First published 1848 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Adventure · 10 chapters · 53,685 words
First lines
In the heart of the forest land in which Hilda's abode was situated, a gloomy pool reflected upon its stagnant waters the still shadows of the autumnal foliage. As is common in ancient forests in the neighbourhood of men's wants, the trees were dwarfed in height by repeated loppings, and the boughs sprang from the hollow, gnarled boles of pollard oaks and beeches; the trunks, vast in girth, and covered with mosses and whitening canker-stains, or wreaths of ivy, spoke of the most remote antiquity: but the boughs which their lingering and mutilated life put forth, were either thin and feeble with innumerable branchlets, or were centred on some solitary distorted limb which the woodman's axe had spared. The trees thus assumed all manner of crooked, deformed, fantastic shapes -- all betokening age, and all decay -- all, in despite of the noiseless solitude around, proclaiming the waste and ravages of man.
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The book is set during a significant historical event, the Battle of Hastings, and incorporates real historical figures and events.
- Drama — The narrative features intense emotional conflicts, personal struggles, and character-driven plots that highlight the human experience.
- Adventure — The story involves themes of conflict, battle, and the journey of characters facing perilous situations.
- Fantasy — Elements of magic, prophecy, and supernatural beings are present, influencing the characters and events.
Tags
Historical Fiction · Novel · Classic Literature · British History · Medieval Period · Saxon Kings · Norman Conquest · Battle of Hastings · 1066 AD · War and Military · Action and Adventure · Politics and Government
What this Textopian page supports
Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings Book XII: The Battle of Hastings is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edward Bulwer-lytton, dated 1848 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Edward Bulwer-lytton
- Date: 1848 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
- Length: 53,685 words
- Structure: 10 chapters, 811 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings Book XII: The Battle of Hastings by Edward Bulwer-lytton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Contents
More by Edward Bulwer-lytton
- Ernest Maltravers Book VIII (1837)
- Parnassus[15]; a Vision (1832)
- Godolphin, Volume II (1833)
- What Will He Do With It? Book I (1871)
- The Caxtons Part I (1849)
- Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings Book IV: The Heathen Altar and the Saxon Church (1848)
- My Novel, Book VI (1873)
- The Last of the Barons, Book VII (1843)
- All works by Edward Bulwer-lytton