F., Hannibal’s War (Warminster, England: Aris & Phillips,
Ltd., 1978).
Harold II (Harold Godwinsson) (ca. 1020–1066)
king of England
Born about 1020 (some sources report 1022) at Bosham,
West Sussex, Harold was the second son of Godwin, the
earl of Wessex, and his wife Gytha. Earl Godwin had
risen in the ranks of Anglo-Saxon England to become one
of the most powerful military and political commanders
in that nation’s early history—even more powerful than
the king at the time. Gytha was the sister-in-law of Ca-
nute, who had become the Danish king of England in
1016 on the death of edmund ii ironside. Canute’s
death in 1035 set off a fierce struggle among those who
wanted to succeed him. Because of Earl Godwin’s so-
cial and military standing, his son Harold, only about
15 years old, was considered one of the leading candi-
dates. However, another aspirant, Canute’s reputed son
Harold, nicknamed Harefoot, took power in a shared
monarchy with Hardicnut, Canute’s half brother. When
Harold Harefoot died on 18 June 1040 at age 24, Har-
dicnut was crowned as the sole ruler of England. Two
years later, on 8 June 1042, Hardicnut died, and his
older half brother, Edward the Confessor, was crowned
king of England. One of Edward’s chief supporters was
Earl Godwin, who gave his daughter Ealdgyth, Harold
Godwinsson’s sister, in marriage to the king.
While Edward the Confessor served as king, Earl
Godwin continued to push for his son’s advancement,
gaining for him the earldom of East Anglia in 1045. In
1050, both Godwin and Harold were banished because
king Edward feared their growing power, but they were
allowed to return in 1052. At the same time, Harold was
in conflict with his other brother Sweyn (also spelled
Swein). In April 1053, when his father died, Harold
succeeded to the earldom of Wessex. After the death of
Sweyn on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Harold became the
leading man in the kingdom. While fighting, supposedly
in the name of King Edward, he put down all opposi-
tion by force. By 1057, Harold and his brothers held all
the English earldoms except for Mercia. In 1064, ship-
wrecked off the coast of France, Harold was captured
by Count Guy and delivered to William of Normandy
(later William i). Probably under duress to save his life,
Harold swore allegiance to William and promised that
he would not claim the English throne and would not
oppose William’s becoming king of England. Histori-
ans have long debated whether Harold in fact made this
promise under duress or willingly. Whatever the reason,
it later came back to haunt him.
When Harold returned to England, Edward, on his
deathbed, blessed him as the heir to the English throne,
throwing aside his own grandson, Edgar the Ætheling,
and disregarding Harold’s own alleged promise to Wil-
liam of Normandy. When Edward died on 5 January
1066, Harold moved immediately to become the new
king. In a 1705 work, A New History of the Succession,
it is stated:We have quite a different Account of Harold’s
accession to this Throne from Florentius, who
plainly tells us, That upon King Edward’s Inter-
ment, Harold the Viceroy, son of Duke Godwin,
whom the King had elected for his Successor be-
fore his death, was chosen to the Royal Dignity
by the Grandees of the whole Kingdom; and was
accordingly consecrated thereto by Alfred Arch-
bishop of York. William of Malmesbury on the
other hand, tho Junior to Florentius, seems to
side in his Narrative with that of Ingulphus, tell-
ing us, That Harold took the Diadem by force:
Altho he adds, that the English affirm That it
was granted to Harold by the King; I suppose he
means by Edward the Confessor, which notwith-
standing that Historian seems not to believe, but
judges it urg’d by them in the own Excuse.Almost immediately, Harold’s claim on the throne
was challenged by others. An angry William of Nor-
mandy assembled an army and sailed across the En-
glish Channel. At the same time, Tostig, Harold’s own
brother, had wanted his close ally, Harald Hardrada,
king of Norway, to become king of England, and he
joined with Harald to invade northern England in
September 1066. Harold assembled an army and met
Harald and Tostig on 25 September at Stamford Bridge,
near York. The invaders had not expected Harold to
raise an army so soon, and when the battle began, they
were caught unawares. Harold’s forces easily defeated
them, and Harald and Tostig were killed. Their forces
fled, but Harold followed them, destroying nearly all of
their ships before Harald’s son Olaf pledged his loyalty
to Harold, upon which the Norwegians were allowed to
return to Norway.hARolD ii