Battle of Hastings

In 1066 William of Normandy crossed the English Channel at Hastings and attacked King Harold’s forces, formed as dense squares of men with interlocking shields. A contemporary history says that when Harold joined his men they “became as one mighty square, shouting the battle cries of 'Ut!', 'Olicrosse', and 'Godemite!'” If Harold’s men were divided into 8 squares, and the addition of one man resulted in a new single square, how many men must there have been?

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Illustration is from the Bayeux Tapestry, probably commissioned shortly after the battle by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, half-brother of William the Conqueror. It is nearly the length of a football field, embroidered in woolen yarn on linen, telling the terrible story.