Harold Godwinson

Harold Godwinson (c. 1022 – 14 October 1066) ruled England as King Harold II of England after King Edward the Confessor died. Harold ruled from 5 January 1066 until he was killed at the Battle of Hastings. His death marked the Norman conquest of England and the end of Anglo-Saxon England.

 Career 
Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha, a Danish noblewoman.Orderic Vitalis, The Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis, Volume II, Books III And IV, ed. Marjorie Chibnall (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1993), p. 216 His sister, Edith, was married to the king whom he succeeded, Edward the Confessor.The Chronicle of Florence of Worcester; With the Two Continuations, trans. Thomas Forester (London: Henry G. Bohn; New York: AMS Press, 1854), pp. 150-52 About the same time, Harold became the Earl of East Anglia.Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 561569 When his father died in 1053, Harold inherited his earldom of Wessex. 

Elfgar, the son of Leofric of Mercia, was appointed to replace Harold in East Anglia. Berkshire and Somerset were joined to Wessex again. Wessex itself was then an enormous amount of land that covered about a third of England. Harold ruled over a large portion of England, making him the most powerful man in the whole kingdom after the king.

Harold had three brothers: Tostig, Swegen and Gryth. He claimed to have been made King by Edward the Confessor. Before Harold became king, he swore to help William, Duke of Normandy, to become king.

In September 1066, Harold defeated an invasion from the north by Harald Hardrada of Norway. Harold returned south to fight William's invasion but was killed. It is generally assumed that it was by an arrow shot by one of William's archers. However, some reports stated that he was cut down by many soldiers.

References

Category:1022 births
Category:1066 deaths
Category:Anglo-Saxon royalty
Category:11th century in England