3.5-3.7 Succession crisis

• When did Edward the Confessor die?

  January 1066
• Why was Edward the Confessors death such a problem?

  had no clear heir
• Who were the four claimants?

  • Edgar Aethelings

  • Harold Godwinson

  • Harald Hadrada

  • William of Normandy
• Did any of the claimants have a direct bloodline?

  • Edgar Aethelings - great nephew

  • William of Normandy - indirect relationship via his great aunt
• Were any of the claimants chosen by the previous king?

  • Harold Godwinson - claimed Edward promised him on his deathbed

  • Harald Hadrada - inherited claim from Danish King

  • William of Normandy - claimed Edward promised him in 1051
• Were any of the claimant chosen by the Witan?

  • Edgar Aethelings - rejected

  • Harold Godwinson - accepted

  • Harald Hadrada - ignored

  • William of Normandy - ignored
• When was Harold Godwinson crowned?

  6 January 1066
• How did the other claimant react to Godwinsons crowning?

  • Edgar- accepted the situtation as he was young

  • Hadrada - occupied by war with Danes, took no immediate action

  • William - began to take action
• Why was William so against the crowning of Godwinson?

  • claimed to have been promised throne by Edward in 1051

  • claimed Godwinson was sent to promised him the throne in 1064

  -> no English sources that evidence this until 1120 - way after the succession crisis
• How did William prepare to invade England?

  • told pope about Edwards promise, Godwinson broken vow and that Stigand crowned him (the Pope loathed him)

  • Pope gave William papal banner to carry into battle as a sign God that was on Normans side

  • promised followers land in England

  • began building ship and moving armoury to coast
• What happened during the battle of Fulford?

  • Godwinson was waiting on south coast for William

  • He raised more taxes and used money to pay fyrd and build ships

  • Norman invasion still had not arrived by June

  • By September food supplys were running low, so Godwinson let fyrd harvest

  • In the North of England, Tostig (Godwinson's brother - angry at losing his earldom) was with Hadrada

  • Edwin and Mocar fought but Tostig and Hadrada ran away
• What happened at Stamford Bridge?

  • Godwinson gathered rest fyrd on the way north and arrived in less than a week

  • he matched his troops through the city of York for a suprise attack

  • after several hours, Hadrada and Tostig alongside thousands of men on both sides died

  • the rest of the Norwegians surrendered
• What happened on 28 September 1066?


  Williams army landed at Pevensey, encouraged his men to raid surrounding area
• What was Williams army like?

  • about 7000 men

  • all well rested

  • consisted of knights, cavalry, archers and infantry
• What was Godwinsons army like?

  • about 7000 men, many others were trying to join from south, if he had waited could have had double

  • men who fighted at Stamford were tired or wounded

  • had no archers or horsemen
• Battle of Hastings

  1. Godwinsons army gathered on hill

  2. Williams army at bottom of hill

  3. Williams archers fired arrows as infantry and cavalry struggled to climb hill

  4. Godwinsons threw javelins and stones

  5. Groups of Norman soldiers rode down the hill 'retreating'

  6. Some English soldiers chased after, breaking the defensive line

  7. Rumour that William was killed

  8. More soldiers from both sides start retreating

  9. Williams men killed all who broke away

  10. Williams army began invading the broken wall

  11. Godwinsons death, an arrow to the eye, lead to English attempting to flee

  12. Williams army killed the fleeing English
• What happened after the death of King Godwinson?

  • William rested troops hoping English would surrender kingdom

  • Witan chose Edgar Aetheling to be king

  • William matched to Kent then to London building castles

  • Edgar surrendered kindgom
• How did Willam take control?

  • claimed all land as his own, gave land of those who died at Hastings to his supporters - allowed English earls and thegns to buy back land

  • allowed English nobles to keep positions if they submitted to him

  • Took Edgar, Edwin and Mocar to Normandy and kept safe to discourage rebellions

  • forces English to build motte and bailey castles for their new Norman lords
• When was William crowned?

  25 December 1066