The Contenders
History: KS3, topic 2.2.2
Contenders for the English Throne in 1066
When Edward the Confessor died in 1066, there were three very different contenders for the English throne.
The three contenders
- Because there was no clear heir to the throne, four contenders put forward their claim to the English throne:
- Harold Godwinson.
- Harald Hardrada.
- William, Duke of Normandy.
- Edgar Atheling, great-nephew of Edward.
Harold Godwinson
- Harold Godwinson was an English nobleman and Earl of Wessex (an earldom in the South of England).
- Although Harold was not related to Edward the Confessor by blood, Harold was Edward's brother-in-law. It is claimed that Edward had named Harold as his successor.
The will of the Witan
- The royal council in England at that time, known as the Witan, proclaimed Harold Godwinson the king after Edward’s death.
- Harold’s claim to the throne was strengthened by the fact that he was the only English contender, and the English nobility knew him and respected him.
Harald Hardrada
- Harald Hardrada was a Viking warrior and the King of Norway.
- His ancestor, King Cnut, had been King of England earlier in the century, so he believed he had a strong claim to the English throne.
- As a fearsome Viking warrior, he was prepared to fight hard for the English throne.
- He was also helped by Harold Godwinson’s treacherous brother, Tostig.
William, Duke of Normandy
- William, Duke of Normandy, claimed the throne because of an agreement he had supposedly made with Harold Godwinson.
- Harold Godwinson had led an embassy (group of representatives) to Normandy in 1064/65, where he had supposedly offered William the throne.
Test yourself on The Contenders
Which country was Harald Hardrada king of in 1066?