It Was 945 Years Ago Today…
On October 14, 1066, Harold Godwinson, King of England, met Duke William of Normandy on the field of battle near Hastings, England. The battle was probably one of the most significant and world-changing conflicts ever fought. In the space of a single day, and for the last time since, England was conquered. Every subsequent ruler of the country would claim lineage not to a Saxon noble, but to a French duke.
The story of the battle makes for fascinating reading. Much is shrouded in mystery. Did William have a legitimate claim to the English throne? For that matter, did Harold? Harold insisted the previous king had appointed him on his deathbed. But Edward the Confessor had grown up in Normandy, surrounded himself with Norman courtiers, and would clearly want the Norman duke to succeed him. Then there was the matter of the alleged oath Harold made when shipwrecked in Normandy, swearing the English throne in return for shelter and safe passage home. Would Harold have made such an oath? And if it weren’t for the fact that Harold and his army arrived at Hastings already tired from fighting his brother Tostig in York and marching from one end of the country to the other, might he have won?
If you want a story of mystery, betrayal, narrow defeat against the odds–they don’t come much better than this one!
Some links for further reading:
- The Bayeux Tapestry: The battle as depicted in thread not long after the event.
- The Bayeux Tapestry Animated: This is pretty cool, actually. If you don’t read anything else, watch this!
- Wikipedia Article
If you ask me, I think neither William nor Harold had a truly legitimate claim on the thrown. Even if Edward had promised William, I don’t think there was any precident in English tradition for the crown to be given in such a manner.
Its hard to put much credence into the story of the oath made to William too.
Another interesting question is whether Tostig, Harold’s brother may have been in cahoots with William by setting up a diversion in the north.
In the end William seems to have been a competent ruler though his son Rufus had issues.
Thanks, Harold. All good and valid points. If William had any notion how capable the Saxons were on the battlefield, I could quite see him conspiring to wear them down in York, while he invaded in the south. While Harold was no sweetie (Earl Godwin and his sons were powerful and didn’t always use their power nicely), he did appear to have popular support. And he probably would have made a good king long-term. William was competent, but clearly had no love for his new domain, nor for the people that lived there. And the feeling was mutual. While I’m not one for re-writing history, I must admit to feeling sorry for Harold. The Saxons had built the country up into a rich and powerful nation. They had a lot to be proud about. It’s a shame that it was stolen from them in this way.