Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was King Harold II of England (c. 1022 – 14 October 1066). He ruled England after king Edward the Confessor died. He ruled from 5 January 1066 until he was killed at the Battle of Hastings. His death marked the Norman conquest of England and the end of Anglo-Saxon England. unsourced
| Harold Godwinson | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of England (more...) | |||||
 | |||||
| King of England | |||||
| Reign | 5 January — 14 October 1066 | ||||
| Coronation | 6 January 1066 | ||||
| Predecessor | Edward the Confessor | ||||
| Successor | Edgar the Ætheling or William the Conqueror | ||||
| Born | Circa 1022 Wessex, England | ||||
| Died | 14 October 1066 (aged about 44) Battle of Hastings, Sussex | ||||
| Burial | Waltham Abbey, Essex, or Bosham (disputed) | ||||
| Spouse | Edith Swanneck Edith of Mercia | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Godwin | ||||
| Father | Godwin, Earl of Wessex | ||||
| Mother | Gytha Thorkelsdóttir | ||||
Career
changeHarold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha, a Danish noblewoman.[1] His sister, Edith, was married to the king he succeeded, Edward the Confessor.[2] About that same time Harold became Earl of East Anglia.[3] When his father died in 1053, Harold inherited his earldom of Wessex.[3]
Elfgar, son of Leofric of Mercia was appointed to replace Harold in East Anglia. Berkshire and Somerset were joined to Wessex again.[3] Wessex itself was, in those days, an enormous amount of land that covered about a third of England. Harold ruled over a large portion of England, making him the most powerful man in the whole kingdom, after the King.
Harold Godwinson had three brothers: Tostig,[4] Swegen[5] and Gryth.[6] He claimed to have been made King by Edward the Confessor. Before Harold Godwinson became king, he swore to help William, Duke of Normandy to become king.[7]
In September 1066 Harold Godwinson defeated an invasion from the north by Harald Hardrada.[6] He returned south to fight Duke William's invasion.[7] He was killed, it is generally assumed, by an arrow shot by one of William's archers, but some reports say he was cut down by many soldiers.[8]
References
change- ↑ Orderic Vitalis, The Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis, Volume II, Books III And IV, ed. Marjorie Chibnall (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1993), p. 216
- ↑ The Chronicle of Florence of Worcester; With the Two Continuations, trans. Thomas Forester (London: Henry G. Bohn; New York: AMS Press, 1854), pp. 150-52
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 561–569
- ↑ "Tostig Godwinson, brother of King Harold II". www.englishmonarchs.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ↑ Medievalists.net (2021-08-01). "The man who should have lost the Battle of Hastings: The Saga of Swegen Godwinson". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "HAROLD". geoffboxell.tripod.com. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Harold Godwinson's succession as King of England - Edward's death and claimants to the throne - Edexcel - GCSE History Revision - Edexcel". BBC Bitesize. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ↑ "Shot through the eye and who's to blame? | History Today". www.historytoday.com. Retrieved 2022-01-06.