Events that led to the Battle of Hastings
How the Future of England was Reshaped by a Dramatic Year
Jan 22, 2009
Death of Edward The Confessor
Anglo-Saxon England had been invaded briefly before, yet its whole economic, legal, political, and social infrastructure had never been completely overthrown as it was in the wake of the Battle of Hastings. The reasons for the Battle of Hastings taking place in the first place are evaluated and examined below.
The first event that le to the Battle of Hastings was the death of the English King Edward the Confessor in January 1066. The problem was that Edward the Confessor died without leaving any direct male heirs. Edward the Confessor had deliberately chosen not to have any children to upset the ambitions of his in-laws the Godwinson family.
There were three main claimants to the throne of England, Harold Godwinson (brother – in – law of Edward the Confessor), William the Duke of Normandy, and Harold Harada the King of Norway.
Harold Godwinson had the advantage of already being in London, and had himself crowned as Harold II. To justify his taking of the throne Harold II claimed that Edward the Confessor had made him heir to the throne on his deathbed. Harold II had claimed the prize whilst fully expecting that Harold Harada and Duke William of Normandy would attempt to take it away from him.
The Threats To Anglo-Saxon England
For much of the summer of 1066 Harold II was waiting for the news that the armies of Harold Harada, or indeed those of Duke William of Normandy had landed. As Harold II did not know which of his enemies would attack first he kept the bulk of his army in London to allow him to deal with the threats most effectively.
Harold Harada was actually allied with Harold II’s estranged brother Tostig and wanted to claim the English throne by virtue of conquest. On the other hand William of Normandy argued that Edward the Confessor had promised him the English throne, and Harold Godwinson had pledged to uphold that claim via a sacred oath in 1064.
Harold Harada Defeated As William of Normandy Lands
William of Normandy was frustrated by unfavourable wind directions during that fateful summer of 1066 whilst Harold Harada was able to land near York. Harold Harada was confident of victory yet when his army fought the English army at Stamford Bridge he was killed and his army was wiped out. Stamford Bridge was the greatest victory in Anglo-Saxon history it was also the last one.
No sooner had Harold II won the victory at Stamford Bridge, when; he heard the news that William of Normandy had landed in Hastings. It took the tired English army ten days to reach Hastings and then it was defeated on 14th October 1066.
The Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings doomed Anglo-Saxon England, as not only was its last king Harold II Godwinson killed but the majority of the noble and gentry classes died with him.
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