Norman Conquest Encyclopedia

It was at Varaville on the Dives that William achieved a victory over the invadign force of Henry I of France in 1057. In 1066 William the Bastard gathered his fleet at the mouth of the River Dives, north-east of Caen. The northerly wind kept the ships here throughout the summer, but on 8 September the English fleet, some 700 ships, about the same number as William's, was withdrawn for a refit and William took the opportunity to move his force to St Valéry-sur-Somme, considerably closer to the English coast. The valley of the Dives was flooded by the Germans in 1944 as a defence against an Allied invasion, but equally served to protect the eastern flank of the D-Day landing beaches.

See also: Henry I of France; William the Bastard; Varaville

Related Reading:

• Hastings 1066 (Revised Edition)- The Fall of Saxon England
  (Campaign 13 )