William worked with English and Anglo-Saxon followers as well as suppressing rebellion. English archers appeared in Norman forces and were incorporated quickly into the conquerors' way of war. Heavy cavalry supplied one major strength, while longbowmen and generally capable infantry with many polearms supplied others. The resulting Norman-English system shows how a conquering army can adopt useful practices and personnel from the society it has defeated.
Notable Point · 2:11:37-2:12:39
Norman cavalry absorbed English archery
Norman rule combined heavy cavalry with English archers and polearm infantry, producing a military system built through integration as well as conquest.