: I don't recall the Battle of Hastings raging around two hills. Nor did Aragorn use a shield wall. A reasonably good description of the battle may be found at http://www.ancientsites.com/er/hastings.html (and this is by no means my only source of information -- it's just one I found on the Net that everyone can examine). I don't see even the vaguest resemblance between the two battles. At Hastings the guys on the bluff lost, and in LOTR the guys on the two hills won.

Beren has laid 4 key similarities between the two battles. And before this goes further please recall what I originally wrote: this scene bears striking resemblance to William of Poitiers account of the battle of Hastings. A resemblance, not a detail by detail equivalence. I don't have William's account here at home, but if need be I can certainly sit down and provide a blow by blow analysis of why I think there is a resemblance, in addition to what Beren has outlined. The two objections to my statements seem to be a) the battle before the Gates of Mordor revolved around two hills not one and b) the guys on the hill won. With regard to A, I don't dispute anything, as pointed out above I said there was a resemblance, not that Hastings provided a blueprint for Tolkien. By analogy, there is a marked resemblance between me and my father, but there are some key differences as well. Does the existance of the differences negate the similarities? No.

In regards to B, as Beren pointed out, and it bears repeating, the only reason the battle was won, even Aragorn held out little hope of victory, and hope was all but lost at the end of the battle, the only reason the "guys on the hills" won is that another battle was fought and accidentally won at the Cracks of Doom. If Frodo had not been able to part with the ring in the end, and Gollum had not bitten off his finger and slipped into the Cracks, all would have been lost. So that isn't really a objection to my statement regarding the similarities.

: And I don't see any need to equate the Rangers with "housecarls". Tolkien's Rangers are not personal troops.

No, but they are Aragorn's kinsmen and close friends, which is what a "huscarl" is, kin and close friend of the war leader who will surround him in a battle and protect his person to the last, which is pretty much what we have on the hilltop in the battle, Dunedain, sons of Elrond, Gandalf, knights of Dol Amroth, chosen men of the Tower, sound very like a handpicked group of kin and friends who fight with and for and protect the war-leader.

Although I can find no mention of additional Rangers arriving after the Battle of Pelennor Fields, it seems unlikely in any event because the numbers of Aragorn's army are given in "The Last Debate":

: 2000 of Aragorn's men from the south
: 3500 of Minas Tirith's garrison (under Imrahil)
: 500 unhorsed Rohirrim
: 500 mounted Rohirrim
: 500 horsemen including the sons of Elrond, the Dunedain (presumably Aragorn's Rangers), and the knights of Dol Amroth

: I have always assumed the last 500 included whatever cavalry Denethor had in Minas Tirith, but I can see how it might be inferred this indicates reinforcements arrived. And yet, how could they have reached Minas Tirith? Did they also ride through the Paths of the Dead? There was still an army blocking the road in Anorien. It fell to Elfhelm to disperse it.

Now that's an objection! You're right, I'll have to check the chronology of just when Elfhelm was able to disperse that army. But if he wasn't able to do so before the trip to Moranon (sp?) then any reinforcements coming to Gondor would have had to go round, or cross the river much further north. Possible, but unlikely.