Harold II, Becomes King of England
by On the 6th of January 1066 following the death on the previous day of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwineson, the head of the most powerful noble family in England at that time is crowned the King of England and would be known as Harold II.
On his deathbed, Edward the Confessor had designated Harold to be the royal heir and to be his successor. This claim was disputed by William, the Duke of Normandy and cousin of the late king. There were other claimants to the throne, King Harald III Hardraade of Norway had his eye on becoming the English King as did Harold’s own brother Tostig.
King Harold had expected an invasion to come from William and rallied his forces in readiness for such an attack. Before William arrived in England Tostig launched a series of raids leaving the English Channel unprotected. In September 1066, Tostig joined forces with the Norwegian King Harald III and together they arrived into northern England through Scotland. On the 25th of September, Harold met them at Stamford Bridge, outside of York, defeated and killed both of those opposed to his wearing the English crown. Three days later William arrived in Southern England at Pevensey.
On the 14th of October Harold met William at the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed in the battle by an arrow going through his eye, and his forces defeated. On Christmas Day 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned as the first in the line of Norman kings of England.
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Post CommentBruce Officer
On January 6, 2011 at 7:05 am
A good summary of what was a more complex campaign than many people realise. Just one point, though: Harald of Norway’s Viking invaders landed near Scarborough in England directly by sea, not through Scotland as you say. They were joined by forces raised in Scotland by Tostig, which is where the confusion comes from, but the way you explain it makes it sound like a joint Norwegian-Scottish army invading England by land.
PSingh1990
On January 6, 2011 at 11:19 am
Nice Share.