1. Succession Crisis 1066 Flashcards
What happened in January 1066?
On 5/1/1066, Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor (seen as very pious) died childless, leaving no direct heir.
Who was Edward the Confessor?
- King of England from 1042 – 1066.
- First English king after 25 years of Danish rule.
- Father was King Aethelred the Unready.
- Mother was Emma of Normandy.
- Married Edith Godwin. (Harold Godwinson’s sister)
- Died without having any children of his own to succeed him.
Who were the four claimants to the throne in January 1066?
Harold Godwinson: Earl of Wessex
William: Duke of Normandy
Harald Hardrada: King of Norway
Edgar Atheling: Great-nephew of Edward
The claims that they made were connected to three main factors: family ties, promises made, and political realities.
What were Harold Godwinson’s claims to the throne?
Family ties: Harold was Edward’s brother-in-law, but there was no blood connection.
Promises: Novissima Verba - Edward verbally promised Harold the throne during his reign.
Political realities: Harold became Earl of Wessex in 1053, giving him control over all of Southern England and recognised as being the most powerful man in England after Edward’s death. In Edward’s last years, he left a lot of the running of the kingdom to the
nobles, particularly Harold Godwinson - Sub Regulus. He had the support of the Witan and English nobility.
What were William of Normandy’s claims to the throne?
Family ties: William was a cousin of Edward the Confessor, through Edward’s mother Emma, who was William’s great-aunt.
Promises: Post Obitum - William claimed that Edward had promised that he should succeed him as King of England. In 1064 Harold Godwinson made a trip to Normandy, and William claimed that he also promised that William could succeed to the English throne.
Political realities: William was an ambitious and powerful ruler in Normandy. He wanted to build up his power, so the Normans could have a great empire, like their Viking ancestors.
What were Harald Hardrada’s claims to the throne?
Family ties: Harald had no direct blood ties to the English royal families, however he had links to the previous Viking kings, such as Cnut.
Promises: In 1066 Tostig Godwinson invited Harald to join him in rebelling against his brother Harold Godwinson to secure the English throne, and also seen as primogeniture from Cnut.
Political realities: Harald was a famous Viking warrior and skilled commander. He already had secure control over his own land.
What were Edgar Atheling’s claims to the throne?
Family ties: Edgar was the great-nephew of Edward the Confessor.
Promises: Edgar and his father, had been invited back to England from their exile by Edward the Confessor in 1057. It seems possible that Edward wanted to be succeeded by an Anglo-Saxon prince.
Political realities: Even though Edgar was the closest blood relative to Edward (primogeniture), he was only a teenager when Edward died. He was not considered strong enough to hold the kingdom together in 1066.
What happened after Edward’s death in January 1066?
Harold Godwinson was elected by the Witan and succeeded Edward the Confessor as king on 6/1/1066.
What happened at the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
(=after the Battle of Fulford Gate, where Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson defeated Earls Edwin and Morcar)
20/9/1066 - King Harold and his 15000 men army marched across 185 miles in 4 days to reach Harald Hardrada and his 9000 men army.
The Norwegians were caught off guard and there were 4000 casualties, with both Tostig Godwinson and Harald Hardrada being killed.
What happened at the Battle of Hastings?
28/9/1066 - William and his invasion force of 9000 men land in England in Pevensey, and immediately build a motte and bailey castle.
Immediately after the Battle of Stamford Ridge, Harold II marched back to reach William at Pevensey, with an exhausted army of around 7000 men, some of which being the untrained fyrd.
14/10/1066 - Norman scouts warned William of Harold’s impending advance, ending with King Harold being killed by an arrow.
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
Fortune - the winds prevented him from invading in the summer as expected, with Hardrada invading at the same time meaning William landed unopposed.
Energy - Harold’s soldiers were tired and had to march across the country, whereas William was building castles and raiding areas for food and other supplies.
Leadership - very successful in keeping together his large army in a foreign country, boosted men’s morale and stayed alive.
Tactics - years of battlefield experiences and feigned retreat used by his cavalry to break the shield wall was a tactic he had used previously in Normandy.
