The Bayeux Tapestry shows work immediately got under way to build an awe-inspiring expeditionary force. Rows of Normandy trees went down to the axe to emerge as 400 dragon-headed ships. Loaded onto the ships were coats of mail, bows, arrows, spears and the most indispensable item of all - vast casks of wine. And packed so tightly into the boats that they supported each other, were perhaps 6,000 horses, three for each knight. Across the Channel, Harold responded by proving that he too, was a phenomenal military organiser. As the crack troops of his army, Harold could call on the elite of perhaps 3,000 "huscarls", professional soldiers trained to handle a two-handed axe that, if swung right, could slice right through a horse and its rider at one blow.


贝叶挂毯上展示了他们如何立即投入精力，组建一支令人敬畏的远征军队。斧头下 成排的诺曼底树被砍倒，摇身变成了四百艘龙头船，船上载满了铠甲，弓箭，梭镖，还有最不可或缺的大桶大桶的酒。 马匹被紧紧系在船上，互相靠着，总共可能有六千匹 每名骑士三匹，在海峡那边。哈罗德毫不示弱，他也极力表现着自己出众的军事指挥才能，哈罗德召集三千"战斧骑兵"，作为军队的精英力量。这些训练有素的士兵，擅用双手斧，只要使用得当，就能一举劈开战马和骑马者。