BattlefieldsDover -- Norman Town Burning 1066
Medieval

Dover -- Norman Town Burning 1066

1066
England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Dover townspeople
Forces
Dover townspeople
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Norman rank-and-file soldiers looting despite William's orders
Outcome
Dover town partially burned by undisciplined Norman troops despite town's peaceful submission
The Battle

History & Significance

When Norman troops entered Dover after the town's submission, they burned much of the lower town despite William's attempts to stop them -- an early demonstration of the difficulty of controlling medieval armies even in victory. The burning angered the local population and damaged the goodwill that a peaceful submission might have generated. It also illustrated the looting imperative that motivated much of the Norman rank and file and that would produce larger-scale atrocities in the years to come.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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