William's doings we know more fully. The military events of this
wonderful year there is no need to tell in detail. But we see that
William's generalship was equal to his statesmanship, and that it
was met by equal generalship on the side of Harold. Moreover, the
luck of William is as clear as either his statesmanship or his
generalship. When Harold was crowned on the day of the Epiphany,
he must have felt sure that he would have to withstand an invasion
of England before the year was out. But it could not have come
into the mind of Harold, William, or Lanfranc, or any other man,
that he would have to withstand two invasions of England at the
same moment.

It was the invasion of Harold of Norway, at the same time as the
invasion of William, which decided the fate of England. The issue
of the struggle might have gone against England, had she had to
strive against one enemy only; as it was, it was the attack made by
two enemies at once which divided her strength, and enabled the
Normans to land without resistance. The two invasions came as
nearly as possible at the same moment. Harold Hardrada can hardly
have reached the Yorkshire coast before September; the battle of
Fulford was fought on September 20th and that of Stamfordbridge on
September 25th. William landed on September 28th, and the battle
of Senlac was fought on October 14th. Moreover William's fleet was
ready by August 12th; his delay in crossing was owing to his
waiting for a favourable wind. When William landed, the event of
the struggle in the North could not have been known in Sussex. He
might have had to strive, not with Harold of England, but with
Harold of Norway as his conqueror.

At what time of the year Harold Hardrada first planned his invasion