A reexamination of Harold Godwinson explores his life, reign, and legacy, challenging Norman propaganda and historical myths.
The Man Who Would be King
Harold Godwinson had risen to that noble echelon of earlship when he was still in the flower of his youth. Born around 1025, he would not have been older than eighteen or nineteen when he took on his first major official role in King Edward the Confessor’s administration, that of Earl of East Anglia. Almost a decade later he progressed to the Earldom of Wessex rising to the dizzy heights of sub regulas, (meaning underking), a position that was second only to the king.
Another decade and more, Harold found himself in the running for the position of king itself. Edward, the man that Harold had served faithfully for more than twenty years was dying. His only heir, Edgar, was still a child. You might ask, so what? There had been many boy kings before. Edgar would not be the first. However, the previous boy kings in recent years, Edwig, Edgar the Peaceable, and Æthelred II, had not been faced with two invasions on their ascendancy imminently on the horizon.
For the nobles of England attending the Christmastide celebrations in the great hall of King Edward’s palace at Westminster, it must have come as a surprise that this monarch who had lived for over sixty years and had reigned for a third of that, was about to die. Despite his current age, he had always been a robust creature in his lifetime. A man who loved the outdoors and lived for the thrill of the hunt. Unlike many of his predecessors, he had not been a warrior king; he left that side of things in the very capable hands of his brother-in-law and second in command, Harold Godwinson.
For the nobles of England attending the Christmastide celebrations in the great hall of King Edward’s palace at Westminster, it must have come as a surprise that this monarch who had lived for over sixty years and had reigned for a third of that, was about to die. Despite his current age, he had always been a robust creature in his lifetime. A man who loved the outdoors and lived for the thrill of the hunt. Unlike many of his predecessors, he had not been a warrior king; he left that side of things in the very capable hands of his brother-in-law and second in command, Harold Godwinson.
Edward had rarely shown signs of ill health until that Autumn of 1065, when a series of strokes afflicted him, possibly caused by the trauma of having lost his favourite Godwinson, Tostig, earl of Northumbria, to an enforced exile. He had begun to rally and had managed to attend some of the Nativity celebrations but took to his bed after boxing day insisting that the consecration of his beautiful church of St Peter should go ahead without him. This was a great blow to the king, who had suffered many disappointments in the past few weeks. This was a moment he had been waiting for many years, to see his life’s work gifted to the glory of God, and now even that was taken away from him.
Harold Hunting (from the Bayeux Tapestry)
The Exile’s death so soon after arriving in England was not a good look, though no one seems to have been suspected of orchestrating his death. Most consensus is that Harold had been part of a mission to literally bring him home, though there is only circumstantial evidence that he was. If it had been in his thoughts to get rid of the Exile so that he could remove an obstacle in his path to the crown, then it would probably have been better to have done so before he had returned. One of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles hints that no one knew why it was that the Exile was unable to meet with his uncle the king before he died, but there was never a contemporary accusation made at anyone, so we can only conject he was either slain, or he wasn’t.
As for Harold, the idea that he had motive is flimsy for at that time there is no firm evidence that he wanted to be king. However, there is as much evidence to say that he had something to do with his murder, as there is to say that he didn’t. We cannot say for sure that Edward the Exile was not a very well man when he set out on his journey to England. Still, he must have been born between the April 1015 and November 1016, making him an ‘old man’ at the time he died in 1057. And illnesses could take a medieval person at any time, especially the older they were. But the mystery of his death will continue to plague us and if he was murdered, the secret has been lost with time.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that writes in no uncertain terms that this was a tragedy for England, the only heir of Edward’s blood fit to be throneworthy had died. But all was not lost for Edgar, only five years old at the time, was adopted by Edward and was referred to as ætheling, but now, as the king lay dying, Edgar was a mere adolescent of thirteen years old. His inexperience in matters of warfare and statesmanship, would not have put him in good stead for what was going to come. The Norman regime was not desired by England’s leadership, and neither was an invasion from a vengeful Tostig and his comrade, the Norwegian king, Harald Hardrada.
William of Normandy – Bayeux Tapestry
At that time, the wider English administration would not have known the brutal nature of the terrible events that were about to befall them. Harold’s inner circle, though, probably knew the tale of Harold’s trip to Normandy a little more than a year ago, and his unfortunate time as a ‘guest’ at Duke William's court. Harold had gone there against the king’s advice, to try to secure the release of his nephew and brother, who had been held hostage there for 12 years.
The duke was a man with his eye on the English throne and it seems was willing to manipulate the situation to his advantage and make it all about himself, rather than the two boys Harold wanted to bring home. According to Eadmer of Canterbury, writing in the late eleventh century, whilst in Normandy, Harold's liberty had been on the line. He had been made to swear an oath on holy relics, that he would advocate for the duke as his vassal in England, suggesting that he had already considered himself in line to the throne on the say so that he had been promised the throne by Edward himself.
William arms Harold and makes him his vassal - Bayeux Tapestry
Champart hated Godwin and was said to have spoken ill will into the king’s ears. When Godwin returned from exile, Champart, knowing he was in danger from Godwin’s wrath, took the hostages to cover his escape. The boys fell into the hands of William of Normandy who believed that they had been sent by his cousin, Edward, to ensure the succession would go to him. A practice which was quite common in these days. Champart may have given William the impression that Edward was in agreement that he should be his successor. may have been hoping to use the boys as leverage. At this time, it was unlikely that Edward would have agreed to this, as soon after his old friend Champart had fled, he set the ball rolling to find another successor of the royal House of Wessex blood, Edward the Exile. Robert was probably acting independently from Edward.
In any case, this was not how the English succession worked, and it was not in Edward’s gift to offer the crown independently of the witan, the king’s council. Edward would have known this and would not have offered the crown to William without consulting the English nobles. Harold’s status as dux Anglorum, which was considered the highest designation before the king, meant he could not possibly become William of Normandy’s liegeman.
William’s arrogance and the fact that Harold was far from home on dangerous turf, made it difficult for the English earl to assert himself and contend the request without endangering himself and that of his retainers who were with him. We see here that when the duke of Normandy made up his mind, nothing, no reasoning at all, would dissuade him. Harold was given arms, and made to bend the knee to the duke, and with the subtle and intimated threat that he would never see his brother again, the English earl was coerced into submission against his will. William's deadly reputation for ridding himself of those who had previously stood in his way may have deeply troubled Harold and he did what he had to do to get himself and his men and at least one of the hostages, Hakon, his nephew, home.
The Witan, the king's council - Public domain
Harold Swearing an oath on the Bayeux Tapestry
On the day of his impending death, which was the 4th day of January, he awoke after many attempts to arouse him and asked his servants to assemble his household. Imagine the air of expectation that must have filled the room. He raved on about a dream first, much to their desperation until he was suddenly restored to sanity and spoke his last words, according to the Vita Edwardi: “Do not mourn for me but pray for my soul and give me leave to go to God. He who allowed himself to die, will not allow me not to.” Queen Edith was weeping, and he spoke words of comfort to her, and he said, “May God reward my wife for her devoted loving service. For she has been a devoted servant to me, always by my side like a beloved daughter.”
Edward being supported on his deathbed as he announces Harold as his successor - Bayeux Tapestry
After giving his instructions for his burial, he became unconscious once more and passed later that night, somewhere between or on the 4th or 5th of January 1066. The next day, however, with irreverent haste it was said, Edward was buried, and the English crowned the only man who was worthy of the job, Harold Godwinson.
Paula Lofting
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About the Author
Thank you for hosting me Tony! I hope your readers enjoy the first post!
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