The Succession Crisis of 1066 Flashcards
(12 cards)
Who died in 1066 and why was this significant?
-In 1066, King Edward the Confessor died without an heir.
-It was not clear who the next king would be
What were the ideal requirements for the next king
-in the bloodline of the king
-chosen by the previous king
-chosen by the witan
Who was Harold Godwinson and what did he claim?
-Harold Godwinson was Edward’s brother-in-law and claimed Edward promised him the throne on his deathbed.
Who else had a claim to the English throne and why?
William of Normandy: Claimed Edward had promised him the throne in 1051 and that Harold had sworn an oath of loyalty to him.
Harald Hardrada (King of Norway): Claimed that the former King of England, Harthacnut, had made an agreement with his father.
Edgar the Ætheling: A descendant of the royal family but was only a teenager with no army.
Who was made king after Edward’s death?
-Harold Godwinson was crowned King Harold II of England soon after Edward’s death.
Why was Harold Godwinson chosen to become king
-he had the support of the Witan
-he won the support of the two powerful earls of Mercia and Northumbria by promising to marry their sister
-A powerful and wealthy earl who claimed Edward chose him on his deathbed
Why did William of Normandy oppose Harold becoming King?
-He believed he had been promised the the throne in 1051
-He claimed Harold had been sent to Normandy in 1064 to confirm the promise, and that while there , Harold had been sworn to support William’s claim
What was William’s first move after Harold’s coronation?
-William began preparing to invade England and take the crown he believed was rightfully his.
What did William request from the Pope and why?
- William asked the Pope for his support. He claimed Harold had broken a holy oath by taking the crown.
What did the Pope give William?
-The Pope gave William a papal banner, which meant that his invasion was a holy crusade.
-The Pope’s support meant that other powerful rulers from across Northern France supported William.
What did William do after receiving the papal banner?
-William began gathering an invasion fleet, and knights from all over France came to support him.
-He built extra ships to carry his army to England and moved armour, weapons and food to the coast
How did Edgar Aetheling react to Harold becoming king?
-He calmy accepted the situation as he was very young and had no power base
