There, at a height of one hundred and thirty

feet, stretching out over a plateau of a width of

over two thousand feet, stood a fortress that was

far more formidable than those already seen at

Pevensey and Hastings. It was Harold, the King

of England's army, in the form of a solid wall of

thousands of shields lined up over several ranks.

Proudly mounted on his horse, Duke William

raised his rod of command.

"Diex aïe!" he cried. "Our time has come fellow

Normans, and you - young Arnoul - to face our

destiny!"