Harold Godwinson Timeline

(c. 1022 – 14 October 1066)

Harold Godwinson (c. 1022–1066) was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. A powerful nobleman as Earl of Wessex and son of Earl Godwin, he became the most powerful man in England before succeeding Edward the Confessor in January 1066. His reign lasted less than a year: after defeating the Norwegian invasion at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, he was killed at the Battle of Hastings by the forces of William, Duke of Normandy, ending Anglo-Saxon rule and beginning Norman England. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life and Family

Godwin becomes Earl of Wessex under Cnut

1018

Harold's father Godwin began his political career supporting King Edmund Ironside but switched to supporting King Cnut by 1018, when Cnut named him Earl of Wessex.

Image source: Godwin, Earl of Wessex

Birth of Harold Godwinson

1022

Harold Godwinson, also called Harold II, was born around 1020–1023. He was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England.

Image source: Harold Godwinson

Death of Cnut the Great

1035

On Cnut's death in 1035, Godwin originally supported Harthacnut instead of Cnut's initial successor Harold Harefoot, but managed to switch sides in 1037.

Image source: Cnut

Murder of Alfred Aetheling

1036

Godwin became involved in the 1036 murder of Alfred Aetheling, half-brother of Harthacnut and younger brother of the later King Edward the Confessor.

Image source: Alfred Aetheling

Death of Harold Harefoot

1040

When Harold Harefoot died in 1040, Harthacnut ascended the English throne. Godwin's power was imperiled by his earlier involvement in Alfred's murder, but an oath and large gift secured the new king's favour for Godwin.

Image source: Harold Harefoot

Sweyn named an earl

1043

Sweyn, Harold's elder brother, had been named an earl in 1043.

Exile of Sweyn Godwinson

1047

Harold's elder brother Sweyn was exiled in 1047 after abducting the abbess of Leominster.

Sweyn II becomes King of Denmark

1047

Ulf and Estrid's son, Harold's cousin, would become King Sweyn II of Denmark in 1047.

Image source: Sweyn II of Denmark

Rise to Power

Death of Harthacnut; Edward the Confessor takes throne

1042

Harthacnut's death in 1042 probably involved Godwin in a role as kingmaker, helping to secure the English throne for Edward the Confessor.

Image source: Edward the Confessor

Fleet sent to Sandwich against Magnus

1045

It is possible that Harold led some of the ships from his earldom that were sent to Sandwich in 1045 against Magnus.

Harold becomes Earl of East Anglia

1045

Around the time of Edward's marriage to Edith in 1045, Harold became Earl of East Anglia. He is called 'earl' in a will that may date to 1044, but by 1045 he regularly appears as an earl in documents.

Marriage of Edward and Edith

Jan 23, 1045

In 1045, Godwin reached the height of his power when King Edward married Godwin's daughter Edith on 23 January 1045.

Image source: Edith of Wessex

Harold aids Henry III against Baldwin V

1049

In 1049, Harold was in command of a ship or ships sent with a fleet to aid Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor against Baldwin V, Count of Flanders, who was in revolt against Henry.

Image source: Baldwin V of Flanders

Exile of the Godwins

1051 - 1052

In 1051, Edward appointed an enemy of the Godwins as Archbishop of Canterbury and soon afterwards drove them into exile, but they raised an army which forced the king to restore them to their positions a year later.

Death of Earl Godwin; Harold succeeds him

1053

Earl Godwin died in 1053, and Harold succeeded him as Earl of Wessex, which made him the most powerful lay figure in England after the king.

Harold drives back the Welsh after Hereford burned

1055

In 1055, Harold drove back the Welsh, who had burned Hereford.

Harold becomes Earl of Hereford

1058

Harold also became Earl of Hereford in 1058, and replaced his late father as the focus of opposition to growing Norman influence in England under Edward the Confessor, who had spent more than 25 years in exile in Normandy.

Image source: Earl of Hereford

Harold refounds Waltham Abbey

1060

There were legends of Harold's body being given a proper funeral years later in Waltham Abbey Church in Essex, which he had refounded in 1060.

Image source: Waltham Abbey Church

Campaigns against Gruffydd ap Llywelyn

1062 - 1063

Harold led a series of successful campaigns (1062–1063) against Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Gwynedd, king of Wales.

Image source: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd

Defeat and death of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn

1063

This conflict ended with Gruffydd's defeat and death in 1063.

Norman Conquest and Legacy

Return of Edward the Exile from Hungary

1057

Some acts of Edward are inconsistent with having promised the throne to William, such as his efforts to return his nephew Edward the Exile, son of King Edmund Ironside, from Hungary in 1057.

Image source: Edward the Exile

Harold shipwrecked at Ponthieu

1064

In 1064, Harold was apparently shipwrecked at Ponthieu. William seems to have believed that during this episode Harold was offered the succession, though later Norman chroniclers suggested alternative explanations, including seeking the release of family hostages or being blown across the Channel by a storm.

William begins building invasion fleet

Jan 1066

In early January 1066, upon hearing of Harold's coronation, William began plans to invade England, building approximately 700 warships and transports at Dives-sur-Mer on the coast of Normandy.

Image source: William the Conqueror

William's fleet sails from Normandy

Sep 12, 1066

On 12 September 1066, William's fleet sailed from Normandy.

Image source: Norman Conquest

Battle of Fulford

Sep 20, 1066

The invading forces of Hardrada and Tostig defeated the English earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria at the Battle of Fulford near York on 20 September 1066.

Image source: Battle of Fulford

Battle of Hastings and death of Harold

Oct 14, 1066

Harold died at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, the decisive battle of the Norman Conquest. Twelfth-century histories recount that Harold died by an arrow wound to his head; earlier sources suggest he was shot in the eye with an arrow, though this may be a later addition.

Image source: Battle of Hastings

Bayeux Tapestry depiction questioned by Stothard copy

1729 - 1816

Benoît's 1729 sketch shows only a dotted line where the famous arrow appears today, while Bernard de Montfaucon's 1730 engraving resembles a spear. In 1816, Charles Stothard made a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry, the first record of it after damage during the French Revolution and before repairs in the 19th century. It has been proposed that the arrow may have been added by over-enthusiastic restorers and later unstitched.

Image source: Bayeux Tapestry

Reign of 1066

Tostig replaced by Morcar amid Northumbrian revolt

1065

Due to a doubling of taxation by Tostig in 1065 that threatened to plunge England into civil war, Harold supported Northumbrian rebels against his brother Tostig, and replaced him with Morcar.

Image source: Tostig Godwinson

Edward the Confessor falls into a coma

Dec 1065

At the end of 1065, King Edward the Confessor fell into a coma without clarifying his preference for the succession.

Harold marries Ealdgyth

Jan 1066

In about January 1066, Harold married Ealdgyth, daughter of Earl Ælfgar, and widow of the Welsh prince Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. What happened to her after 1066 is not known.

Image source: Ealdgyth of Mercia

Death of Edward the Confessor

Jan 5, 1066

He died on 5 January 1066, according to the Vita Ædwardi Regis, but not before briefly regaining consciousness and commending his widow and the kingdom to Harold's 'protection'.

Harold crowned at Westminster Abbey

Jan 6, 1066

After his brother-in-law King Edward the Confessor died childless, the Witenagemot convened and chose Harold to succeed him; he was probably the first English monarch to be crowned in Westminster Abbey. He reigned from 6 January 1066 until his death.

Image source: House of Godwin

Legacy

Exhumation at Bosham Church

1954

Harold's strong association with Bosham, his birthplace, and the discovery in 1954 of an Anglo-Saxon coffin in the church there led some to suggest it as the place of King Harold's burial. The exhumation revealed the remains of a man in a coffin.

Key Facts

Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, one of the most powerful nobles in Edward the Confessor's England, and rose to become Earl of Wessex himself around 1053.
He was crowned King of England on 6 January 1066, reportedly on the deathbed wishes of King Edward the Confessor, though he had earlier allegedly sworn an oath of loyalty to Duke William of Normandy.
In September 1066, Harold defeated his brother Tostig and the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, one of the last great Viking invasions of England.
Just weeks later, on 14 October 1066, Harold was killed—traditionally said to have been shot in the eye with an arrow—at the Battle of Hastings against William of Normandy's invading army.
His death ended over 600 years of Anglo-Saxon rule in England; William the Conqueror was crowned king on Christmas Day 1066, ushering in the Norman era.

Source

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