Topic Summary

The year is 1066, and the King of England is dead. Without a clear heir to the throne of the country, a war for the succession to the throne has broken out amongst a number of contenders for the throne. The Anglo-Saxon Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, claims authentic succession from the royal family and is elected by the court of the king to assume the throne. His rule is challenged by Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, who is supported by Tostig Godwinson, the new king's exiled brother. However, a much larger threat to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in England looms to the south: William, Duke of Normandy who we now know better as William the Conqueror. Delegates will assume the roles of the generals and advisors to the Duke of Normandy as he fights to become the King of England, enduring all the chaos that comes along with managing one of the most important conquests in history.

Director’s Letter

Welcome to the 73rd iteration of Harvard National Model United Nations! And welcome to the Battle of Hastings!

My name is Vincent and I'm a senior from Montreal, Canada studying math. I was once was a Model UN delegate in high school, and these days I find myself in crisis directing which I love even more!

To me, MUN is a place to learn new skills, meet cool people, and let your creativity run wild. The Battle of Hastings will test your MUN abilities to the limit. As you navigate this unique historical conflict, you must work together for the collective good, the personal goals of your own character, and pursue innovative solutions to come out on top. Teamwork and originality are paramount in any Model UN committee, and this will be no different.

I look forward to our weekend together, revisiting old problems, creating new ones, and above all, enjoying our time in committee. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. See you soon! ✌️

Best,

Vincent Costa

Director, The Battle of Hastings, 1066

crisis@hnmun.org

Crisis Director’s Letter, The Battle of Hastings, 1066

Esteemed Delegates,

I am excited and privileged to welcome you to the 73rd session of Harvard National Model United Nations! My name is Adam Brown, and I will be your Director for the Norman Conquest committee at this year's conference. I am a junior at Harvard studying Social Studies, while pursuing a concurrent Master's degree in Middle Eastern Regional Studies. I'm originally from Saratoga Springs, New York (Upstate represent!).

I had no experience with Model UN when I arrived at college. I decided during my freshman fall to try out for our Intercollegiate MUN team (ICMUN), not really knowing what I was getting myself into. I've loved it ever since! Over the past two and a half years, MUN has taken me across the country and around the world. Last year at HNMUN, I was the Crisis Director for the Ad Hoc crisis committee, and I'm very excited to be returning to the best organ at HNMUN! Aside from this conference, I am also a Crisis Director at Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN), our sister high school conference. I have directed committees at HMUN China 2025 and HMUN Dubai 2027, and was USG Committees for HMUN China 2026 and the Director-General of the inaugural session of HMUN Canada in May 2026. Safe to say that MUN has taken a significant role in my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I look forward to seeing you all inhabit the roles that you find yourselves in when you enter committee. I've been a lifelong history nerd, and I cannot wait to see what sort of chaos and shenanigans you get yourselves embroiled in when you find yourselves at the helm of one of the most important conquests in European history. I wish you all the best of luck, and I look forward to seeing you at the conference in February!

All my best,

Adam Brown

Crisis Director, The Battle of Hastings, 1066

crisis@hnmun.org