Harold II

1066: THE YEAR OF THREE KINGS

Oct 14, 2017

anniversaries, battles, genealogy, sources

Alfred son of Ethelred, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Athelings, bastardy, Battle of Britain, Battle of Hastings, Bayeux Tapestry, Cerdic, Cnut, David Douglas, Domesday Book, Dover, Eadmer, Edgar the Atheling, Edward the Exile, Emma of Normandy, English Channel, Ethelred II, Eustace of Bologne, Frank Barlow, Fulford, Godwin Earl of Wessex, Gytha, Hakon grandson of Godwin, Harald Hardrada, Harald Sigurdsson, Harold Harefoot, Harold II, Harthacnut, Herleve, hindsight, hostages, House of Wessex, Hungary, invasions, Isle of Wight, Jane Austen, John of Worcester, Leofric, Lotharingia, Magnus Magnusson, Magnus the Good, Matilda of Flanders, Michael Lawson, Norman conquest, Normans, oaths, Oderic Vitalis, Odo Bishop of Bayeux, Papacy, Paul Hill, Peter Rex, Pevensey Bay, primogeniture, promises, propaganda, Queen Edith, Richard Duke of Normandy, Richard III, Robert Chumpert, Romney, Scotland, Shakespeare, shipwreck, Sigurd, Sir Frank Stenton, St. Edward the Confessor, Stamford Bridge, Stigand, Sveyn Godwinson, Sweyn Estrithson, Synod of Chelsea, Tostig, Vik, Vita Edwardi Regis, William I, William of Jumieges, William of Malmesbury, William of Poitiers, Winston Churchill, Witangemot, Wulfnoth Godwinson, York

“History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days” (Winston Churchill) “I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention.” (Catherine…
Now the search is on for Harold Godwinson….!

Oct 13, 2017

anniversaries, battles, genealogy, Science

Anglo-Saxons, archaeology, Battle of Hastings, Bayeux Tapestry, Harold II, Hertfordshire, Richard III, royal burials, St. Edmund

Another exciting search for a very important king in the annals of our land, this time at Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire. Harold Godwinson reigned for even less time than Richard III, i.e. nine months and eight days, and his sovereignty too ended in a vital battle that let “the enemy and its foreign army” in. In his case,…
Who was the first bastard slip to grab hold of the crown of all England….?

Sep 7, 2017

battles, law

Adrian I, Athelstan, bastardy, Battle of Hastings, Cnut, Edith Swan Neck, Egbert III, Emma of Normandy, Ethelred II, Harold Harefoot, Harold II, Harthacnut, House of Wessex, St. Edward the Confessor, succession, Sveyn Forkbeard, Tower of London, Vikings, William I

Bearing in mind that I am NOT a historian, here is a little teaser to pass the time. We all know the texts from the Bible about bastard slips not taking root, and the sins of the fathers being visited on subsequent generations. Right, so what happens if we apply that literally to the throne…
Another eleventh century struggle

Jun 26, 2017

anniversaries, archaeology, travel

Alan the Black, Anglo-Saxons, Appledore, Battle of Hastings, battles, Bideford, Bloody Corner, Brian of Brittany, Devon, Diarmait, Edgar the Atheling, Edmund son of Harold, genealogy, Godwine son of Harold, Gytha, Harold II, Harrying of the North, Ireland, Malcolm III, Margaret of Wessex, Normans, Northam, resistance, Richard III, Scotland

This article reveals the little-known sequel to the battle of Hastings. It took place in North Devon, between Appledore and Northam near Bideford, on 26 June 1069 and was led by Brian of Brittany and Alan the Black for the Normans against Godwine and Edmund, sons of Harold II, for the Anglo-Saxon “resistance”. The result…
Richard wasn’t the only king to die horribly….

Jan 12, 2017

art, battles, Uncategorized

Charles I, Edmund Ironside, Edward II, Edward V, Harold II, Henry I, Henry VI, Henry VII, James I, James II, Jane, Mary Stuart, Richard I, Richard III, Victor Ambrus, violent death, William I

Richard III’s body is brought back to Leicester. Artwork by Victor Ambrus We all know the grim, but glorious way poor Richard met his death, his body maltreated at the callous behest of Henry Tudor – who was destined to die in his own bed. He isn’t listed in the link below, but his was…
Edgar the Aetheling: Failure or Survivor?

Dec 10, 2016

battles

“Perkin”, anniversaries, Battle of Hastings, Denmark, Edgar the Atheling, Edward the Exile, Edward V, exiles, Harold II, House of Wessex, Hungary, Malcolm III, Margaret of Wessex, Normandy, Normans, Norway, Richard of Shrewsbury, Scotland, St. Edward the Confessor, Stigand, Wallingford, Westminster Abbey, William I, Witangemot, youth

Originally posted on Giaconda's Blog: You could argue that Edgar was set up to fail from the start. As the last male heir of the ancient royal House of Cerdic of Wessex; Edgar had the bloodline but little else to support his claim to the English throne when his great uncle, Edward the Confessor,…
Hastings 950: Remembering the End of an Age

Oct 14, 2016

battles

Anglo-Saxons, anniversaries, Baldwin of Flanders, Battle Abbey, Bayeux Tapestry, Beowulf, Ealdgyth, Edwin of Mercia, Gytha, Harold Hardrada, Harold II, Harrying of the North, Hastings, Morcar, Norman conquest, Norway, Oderic Vitalis, Peter Rex, Peterborough Chronicle, Pevensey Bay, St. Edward the Confessor, Stamford Bridge, Tostig, Waltham Abbey, William I

Originally posted on Giaconda's Blog: Over the summer holidays I visited Battle Abbey with my family. We also found our way to Pevensey Bay and Hastings during our trip to re-trace the footsteps of King Harold’s last stand against Norman invaders almost 950 years ago. Pevensey was atmospheric and eery on an overcast morning…
The Battle of Stamford Bridge?

Sep 25, 2016

anniversaries

battles, Harald Hardrada, Harold II, Hastings, Normans, Norway, Stamford Bridge, Tostig, travel, usurpers, Vikings, Yorkshire

No, NOT this Stamford Bridge, but two hundred miles further north, somewhere by the River Derwent in the East Riding. So please try to avoid any more football references, except for the violent Norwegian game plan, the travel plans of the teams (sorry, armies) and the fixture congestion being contributory factors to the Anglo-Saxon defeat…
More of Richard’s ancestors

Jul 30, 2016

buildings, genealogy, Science

Anglo-Saxons, Edward III, Exhumation, Faversham Abbey, Harold II, Normans, Phillippa of Hainault, Richard III, Stephen

Although they are regarded as loose ends, the last Anglo-Saxon and last Norman kings of England are both Richard’s ancestors, via Edward III’s marriage. This document demonstrates Phillippa of Hainault’s descent from Harold II, via Kiev and Hungary, and Stephen, via the Low Countries. There seems to be little news from Faversham Abbey, where Stephen…
Time to go digging for kings again…

Jan 10, 2016

archaeology, Science

Alfred the Great, Anglo-Saxons, burials, Cwmhir Abbey, Dunfermline Abbey, Eadgyth, Harold II, Henry I, Leicester, Llewellyn the Last, Magdeburg, Margaret of Wessex, Oswald, Reading Abbey, Richard III, Waltham Abbey, Winchester

A section of the Bayeaux Tapestry showing the death of Harold II Hulton Archive/Getty Images http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/five-missing-kings-and-queens-and-where-we-might-find-them-a6798966.html I think we should all get out our trowels and knee-pads to go digging around again!