harold godwinson's norman embassy

• • early summer of 1064, on a mission for edward- an embassy!
• • harold travelled to france but got blown off course by a storm, landing in ponthieu
  • taken prisoner by guy but duke william demanded he handed harold over
  • harold spent time with him & helped him in 2 military campaigns
  • william gave harold gifts of weapons & armour
• • after relaying edward's message to william, harold made an oath to william, swearing on 2 holy relics
• • norman interpretation: edward commissioned harold to go talk to duke william about plans for william's succession & that involved harodl swearing allegiance to him as future king
• • anglo saxon interpretation: harold went to recover 2 hostages from william- harold's brother & nephew
• significant because..

  • harold was edward's trusted adviser as it was clearly an important embassy
  • used by normans to boost william's claim to throne as it suggests close ties between england & normandy
  • used by normans to portray harold as an oath-breaker after he became king instead of william
  • useful indication of how important oaths were
• where did Harold land?

  ponthieu
• ponthieu pontheiu pontheiu