Norman Conquest

HOW A FOREIGN BASTARD BECAME THE KING
OF ENGLAND
1066: The Year of 3 Kings
* Marks the end of English Kings of England
* All future Kings and Queens of England are descendants of invaders.
* Marks the last time that Britain will be successfully invaded
* The 3 Kings of 1066
* Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)
* Harold Godwinson
* William, Duke of Normandy (William the Conqueror)
Government Structure of England 1066
King: 1. Laws 2. Army 3. Taxes 4. Land 5. Make money
Elected by Witan Must have support of Earls and Church
Witan serves as advisers to King
King decides advise to ask for and whether to accept
advice
Earls: selected by King to administer Earldom (large area of Country)
Loyal to the King but each compete for favor of the King
Government Structure of England 1066
Thegns (4,000-5,000)
Lower nobility. 1 Group selected by King; 1 Group selected by Earls
Delegated authority from King and Earls
Peasant Farmers (90% of population)
Slaves (10% of population)
Earldoms of England: 1060
Reign of Edward the Confessor
Edward raised in Normandy, not England
Very few allies among the Earls and nobility of England
Not a warrior or interested in ruling
1040s: Edward brings Normans into government, diluting power of Anglo-Saxons
(and Wessex)
1050: Earl Godwin (Wessex) rebelled against Edward: banished to Normandy
1051: Earl Godwin returns with an army; restored by Edward as Earl of Wessex
Reign of Edward the Confessor
1053: Earl Godwin dies. Harold Godwinson becomes Earl of
Wessex
Harold becomes chief adviser to Edward. De facto King
1055: Tostig Godwinson becomes Earl of Northumberland
1062: Godwins conquer Wales, increasing power of Wessex and Harold
1064: Edward sends Harold on mission to William of Normandy
1065: Uprising against Tostig Godwinson. Losses Northumberland. Exiled
1066: 5 January Edward dies

Claimants to the English Throne: January 1066
Claimants to the Throne of England: January 1066
Harold Godwinson: selected by Witan on 6 January 1066
1. Edward had named him his successor on his deathbed.
Witnesses loyal to Harold support claim
2. Family ties (Harold’s sister had married Edward)
3. Edward’s right hand man for 12 years, effectively running
England
4. Earl of Wessex has great influence with other members
of the Witan
5. History of military prowess
Claimants to the Throne January 1066
Harald Hardrada: King of Norway
1. Alliance with Tostig Godwinson – convinced North would support
him
2. Secret Viking Agreement
1040: Harthacnut, Viking King of England and Norway
Loses control of Norway to Magnus Olaffson
Agreement: Name each other heirs to England and
Norway
1045: Hardrada become co-ruler of Norway with Olaffson
1047: Olaffson dies; Hardrada takes Olaffson’s claims to
England
Claimants to the Throne January 1066
William of Normandy
1. Claims Edward named him successor in 1051 (no real evidence)
Edward had lived in Normandy and had no allies in England, making

this claim possible.
2. Harald had renounced English Throne during 1064 mission to

Normandy.
No evidence of this, and would it have been credible ?
Harald helped William conquer Mont St. Michel

Battle of Gate Fulford 20 September 1066
10,000 Vikings defeat English army
under Morcar and Edwin, Dukes of
Northumbria and Mercia, near
York, former capital of The
Danelaw.
King Harold rushes North to meet the Viking army.

Battle of Stamford Bridge: 25 September 1066
King Harold destroys Viking army and fleet.

1. Vikings were caught off guard
2. ⅓ of Vikings & weapons were left on ships
3. Vikings were exhausted from Gate Fulford
4. Vikings were misled (Harold was popular)
5. English broke Viking shield wall.
Hardrata & Tostig killed, ending Viking threat to England for good.
Battle of Hastings 14 October 1066
Norman Castle System in England
Located at strategic control points.
Garrison of troops
Psychological impact
Different that Burghs (Alfred)
Control v Protect A-S
Not communities
The DOOMSDAY BOOK
Financial Purpose: Determine which landowners could pay more taxes.
Determine if landowners were

cheating
Determine inheritance taxes
Military: Location of military assets, and knights available against Vikings.
Legal: Surveys conducted fairly
Establish basis for claims of legal ownership in private disputes.

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HOW A FOREIGN BASTARD BECAME THE KING

Harold becomes chief adviser to Edward. De facto King

1055: Tostig Godwinson becomes Earl of Northumberland

1062: Godwins conquer Wales, increasing power of Wessex and Harold

1064: Edward sends Harold on mission to William of Normandy

1065: Uprising against Tostig Godwinson. Losses Northumberland. Exiled

1066: 5 January Edward dies

1. Claims Edward named him successor in 1051 (no real evidence)

Edward had lived in Normandy and had no allies in England, making

2. Harald had renounced English Throne during 1064 mission to

No evidence of this, and would it have been credible ?

Harald helped William conquer Mont St. Michel

10,000 Vikings defeat English army

under Morcar and Edwin, Dukes of

Northumbria and Mercia, near

York, former capital of The

King Harold rushes North to meet the Viking army.

King Harold destroys Viking army and fleet.

Different that Burghs (Alfred)

Control v Protect A-S

Determine if landowners were

Determine inheritance taxes

Military: Location of military assets, and knights available against Vikings.

Legal: Surveys conducted fairly

Establish basis for claims of legal ownership in private disputes.

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