Search results
Harold Godwinson (c. 1022 – 14 October 1066), also called Harold II, was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon English king. Harold reigned from 6 January 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, the decisive battle of the Norman Conquest. Harold's death marked the end of Anglo-Saxon rule over England.
May 29, 2024 · Harold II (born c. 1020—died October 14, 1066, near Hastings, Sussex, England) was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. A strong ruler and a skilled general, he held the crown for nine months in 1066 before he was killed at the Battle of Hastings by Norman invaders under William the Conqueror.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Jan 23, 2024 · Harold Godwinson was an important Anglo-Saxon nobleman in the 11th century. He is most famous for succeeding King Edward the Confessor in 1066 and briefly ruling England, as King Harold II, before his defeat and death at the battle of Hastings at the hands of Duke William of Normandy.
- Mark Cartwright
- Earl of Wessex. Harold was born around 1023 CE into the powerful Godwinson family, with his father, Godwin, being the Earl of Wessex and one of the richest men in England.
- Harold in Normandy. Harold Godwinson's star rose even higher when he was crowned king on 6 January 1066 CE following the death the day before of his brother-in-law King Edward the Confessor, who died childless.
- Battle of Stamford Bridge. The most immediate threat to Harold's kingdom was not from William, though, but from the north and another rival claimant to the throne, Harald Hardrada, king of Norway (aka Harold III, r. 1046-1066 CE).
- Battle of Hastings. Throughout the summer of 1066 CE William had been busy amassing a fleet on the northern coast of France near Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme.
Feb 7, 2022 · Canute who was the king of England, Denmark and later Norway, bestowed great power on Earl Godwin. He became acknowledged as the Bretwalda of all England. The Godwin Family. Godwin had eight children, six sons and two daughters. His wife Gyda was from the Royal house of Denmark (probably another shrewd move).
Harold was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England who was killed by William, Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. He became king in 1066 after Edward's death and faced invasions by Harald Hardrada and William.
Sep 23, 2019 · Learn 10 facts about Harold Godwinson, who ruled England for 9 months before being defeated and killed by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Find out about his family, his campaigns, his coronation, and his death.
