A drop of history...
1066 - Succession issues
- Edward the Confessor was an old king who had been ruling England for 24 years.
- He had no children, no surviving siblings or an immediate blood relative fit enough to nominate as heir
- This led to succession issues with several contenders for the throne
Contenders for the English throne in 1066
• Prince Edgar
• Harold Godwin
• Harold Hardrada
• Duke William of Normandy
Prince Edgar
•
He was
King Edward’s nephew’s son (the great grand nephew of the King)
•
However at the
death of Edward the Confessor, he was too young to be crowned
(had
no experience in ruling a country)
• He was King Edward’s nephew’s son (the great grand nephew of the King)
• However at the death of Edward the Confessor, he was too young to be crowned
(had
no experience in ruling a country)
Harold Godwin
•
He was nominated
by the dying king as his successor
•
His sister was Edward the Confessor’s wife
•
He was one of
the most trusted noblemen by the King
•
Was the Earl of Wessex
•
Had the support of the Witan and the
people of England
•
Regarded as
the strongest man in England after Edward
and had the military power within England
•
Not a direct descendent in the royal bloodline
Harold Hardrada
•
He was nominated
by the dying king as his successor
•
His sister was Edward the Confessor’s wife
•
He was one of
the most trusted noblemen by the King
• Was the Earl of Wessex
• Had the support of the Witan and the people of England
• Regarded as the strongest man in England after Edward and had the military power within England
• Not a direct descendent in the royal bloodline
Harold Hardrada
•
His relatives
had once been kings in England before
Edward the Confessor
•
Had the support of a large army
and specially the support of Godwin’s
brother Tostig.
•
No direct blood relation to the existing monarch
• King of Norway
Duke William of Normandy
•
His relatives
had once been kings in England before
Edward the Confessor
•
Had the support of a large army
and specially the support of Godwin’s
brother Tostig.
•
No direct blood relation to the existing monarch
• King of Norway
Duke William of Normandy
•
Claims that King Edward himself had promised him
the throne once when he visited him
in 1051.
•
Further claims that Harold Godwin too had promised to help him ascend the throne, once when Godwin was captured in Normandy in 1064.
•
Very ambitious and power-hungry commander.
• Duke of Normandy, France
• Claims that King Edward himself had promised him the throne once when he visited him in 1051.
•
Further claims that Harold Godwin too had promised to help him ascend the throne, once when Godwin was captured in Normandy in 1064.
•
Very ambitious and power-hungry commander.
Points to note..
•
But
the promise made by the dying King to Godwin that he should be crowned King was considered valid by the Witan.
•
The promise
made by Godwin to William was considered invalid by the Witan because it was
made under the threat of death.
• So who do you think has the strongest claim to the throne?
•
But
the promise made by the dying King to Godwin that he should be crowned King was considered valid by the Witan.
•
The promise
made by Godwin to William was considered invalid by the Witan because it was
made under the threat of death.
• So who do you think has the strongest claim to the throne?
Coronation of
Harold Godwin
•
On 5th January 1066 Edward died.
• On 7th
January 1066 Harold Godwin was crowned King Harold II of England.
• The coronation took place at Westminster
Abbey.
• On 5th January 1066 Edward died.
• On 7th
January 1066 Harold Godwin was crowned King Harold II of England.
• The coronation took place at Westminster
Abbey.
Enemy Invasions
•
Hardrada landed in
the Humber estuary( near York)with 300
ships. He was the first to
invade England after Godwin
became King.
•
Hardrada’s army confronted the English
army lead by Harold’s earls: Morca (Earl
of Mercia) and Edwin (Earl of
Northambria).
•
The English army was defeated at the Battle of Fulford on 20th September 1066 and
Hardrada took control of the north.
•
Hardrada landed in
the Humber estuary( near York)with 300
ships. He was the first to
invade England after Godwin
became King.
•
Hardrada’s army confronted the English
army lead by Harold’s earls: Morca (Earl
of Mercia) and Edwin (Earl of
Northambria).
• The English army was defeated at the Battle of Fulford on 20th September 1066 and Hardrada took control of the north.
Victory for Harold Godwin…
•
Harold marched up
north with an army including his
housecarls ( a highly trained bodyguard)
•
He made a surprise attack
on Hardrada’s army on 25th
September 1066 as they rested at
Stamford Bridge near York.
Harold killed both Hardrada
and Tostig in this battle.
•
Harold marched up
north with an army including his
housecarls ( a highly trained bodyguard)
•
He made a surprise attack
on Hardrada’s army on 25th
September 1066 as they rested at
Stamford Bridge near York.
Harold killed both Hardrada
and Tostig in this battle.
The Battle of Hastings
Worst invasion..
•
On 28th September 1066 Duke William’s
army set sail from St Valery
Port, Normandy and arrived at
Pevensey near Hastings, England on
the morning of 29th September 1066.
•
It was a
fleet of 696 ships and an army of
7000 soldiers including archers and horsemen.
• King Harold hurried
down south with his army for another surprise attack on the newly arrived French army.
But most of his soldiers were
weakened by the battle at Stamford Bridge.
•
Harold’s army had about 7000 men but only 2000 were housecarls and the others
were men collected on the way. He had few archers and horsemen.
•
On the 13th of October the Saxon army
(Harold’s English army) got close to the Normans and the Normans took their positions in response.
• The Battle
of Hastings began on the 14th of
October 1066 and lasted whole
day. Normans played a trick of retreat and
destroyed much of the English army.
•
Harold was killed in
this battle (perhaps with an arrow in his eye which is disputed by some historians)
and William became the Conqueror!
Completing the Conquest
Worst invasion..
•
On 28th September 1066 Duke William’s
army set sail from St Valery
Port, Normandy and arrived at
Pevensey near Hastings, England on
the morning of 29th September 1066.
•
It was a
fleet of 696 ships and an army of
7000 soldiers including archers and horsemen.
• King Harold hurried down south with his army for another surprise attack on the newly arrived French army. But most of his soldiers were weakened by the battle at Stamford Bridge.
•
Harold’s army had about 7000 men but only 2000 were housecarls and the others
were men collected on the way. He had few archers and horsemen.
•
On the 13th of October the Saxon army
(Harold’s English army) got close to the Normans and the Normans took their positions in response.
• The Battle
of Hastings began on the 14th of
October 1066 and lasted whole
day. Normans played a trick of retreat and
destroyed much of the English army.
•
Harold was killed in
this battle (perhaps with an arrow in his eye which is disputed by some historians)
and William became the Conqueror!
Completing the Conquest
- William was crowned himself, William
I on the Christmas Day 1066.
- It took some
more years for him to conquer
the rest of the country after the Battle
of Hastings.
- Norman conquest contd..
- William was crowned himself, William I on the Christmas Day 1066.
- It took some more years for him to conquer the rest of the country after the Battle of Hastings.
- Norman conquest contd..
Saxon Resistance
•
Dover – fell without
any
resistance
•
London – fell without any resistance
• Berkhamstad – Prince Edgar, Earl Morca
and Earl Edwin came out and surrended.
• Exeter – heavy resistance by
the Saxons. William took hostages and blinded one to frighten
them. Instead they determined
to hold out.
• York – worse resistance
by the Saxons in the North.
They wanted their land back and also
a Saxon king of their own.
•
Dover – fell without
any
resistance
•
London – fell without any resistance
• Berkhamstad – Prince Edgar, Earl Morca
and Earl Edwin came out and surrended.
• Exeter – heavy resistance by the Saxons. William took hostages and blinded one to frighten them. Instead they determined to hold out.
• York – worse resistance by the Saxons in the North. They wanted their land back and also a Saxon king of their own.
• Prince Edgar once
again came out of exile in Scotland and led a rebellion. The
Saxons burnt William’s castles and
killed Norman soldiers.
• William took savage revenge
and it is referred to as “ harrying of the north” (in the Winter 1069-1070)
• Prince Edgar once again came out of exile in Scotland and led a rebellion. The Saxons burnt William’s castles and killed Norman soldiers.
• William took savage revenge and it is referred to as “ harrying of the north” (in the Winter 1069-1070)
• The Fens of East Anglia
– Rebellion led by Hereward the Wake and the Earls Edwin and Morca. William
failed twice but reached them through secret tracks beat the
rebels. (1071)
• The Fens of East Anglia – Rebellion led by Hereward the Wake and the Earls Edwin and Morca. William failed twice but reached them through secret tracks beat the rebels. (1071)
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