Everyone knows that the
Battle of Hastings took place on 14th September 1066, and may think they know
why William invaded (because Edward the Confessor promised William the crown
back in 1051 when William spent Christmas in England). However, William wouldn't
have left Normandy at this point (1051-1052) due to unrest in the duchy
caused by a certain Belleme family and the greedy Count of Anjou, so, why did
he believe himself to be worthy of the Crown of England? Well, he was a great
nephew of Emma of Normandy (Edward the Confessor's mother), so he might have
thought himself more throne-worthy than Edward the Exile (Edmund Ironside's
son), but, I doubt this. Edward the Exile's claim was better than his own, as
was Edgar æthlings.
Another reason might have been because he and Edward the
Confessor grew close when the latter was exiled in Normandy during the reigns
of Cnut and Harold Harefoot, but, again, this is doubtful. The age gap was fairly
big (the Confessor born between 1003-1005, with William being born around 1027),
so the two of them would've had little in common.
The most plausible reason then, would be in regard to Harold Godwinsson's trip to Normandy c.1064-1065). We don't know for certain why Harold sailed the Narrow Sea (a fishing trip gone wrong, rescuing his exiled brother: Wulfnoth and nephew: Hakon), but we DO KNOW he fought with William in Brittany, made some kind of oath related to the succession of the English throne. The question is however, did Harold take the oath as seriously as William did? - Well, he likely didn't as he was crowned more or less as soon as the Confessor died - spending much of his short reign on edge - first binding himself to earls Morcar and Edwin by marrying their sister: Edyth, then keeping watch on the Isle of Wight till the 8th September 1066, waiting to see sails on the horizon. He must've known that William would not have forgotten that oath and would sail to try and claim the Kingship, but obviously had enough confidence in himself that he and his fyrd could beat the Normans, likely because the latter would be on unfamiliar territory and if losing would only have the sea at their backs. The only problem though, was that he couldn't keep his army waiting on the Wight because of harvest-time, and also because they'd already been waiting for months.
What would have happened if they'd waited a little longer, allowed Tostig and Hardrada the North and focused on William? We will, unfortunately, never know. But it's an interesting subject to contemplate!!
The most plausible reason then, would be in regard to Harold Godwinsson's trip to Normandy c.1064-1065). We don't know for certain why Harold sailed the Narrow Sea (a fishing trip gone wrong, rescuing his exiled brother: Wulfnoth and nephew: Hakon), but we DO KNOW he fought with William in Brittany, made some kind of oath related to the succession of the English throne. The question is however, did Harold take the oath as seriously as William did? - Well, he likely didn't as he was crowned more or less as soon as the Confessor died - spending much of his short reign on edge - first binding himself to earls Morcar and Edwin by marrying their sister: Edyth, then keeping watch on the Isle of Wight till the 8th September 1066, waiting to see sails on the horizon. He must've known that William would not have forgotten that oath and would sail to try and claim the Kingship, but obviously had enough confidence in himself that he and his fyrd could beat the Normans, likely because the latter would be on unfamiliar territory and if losing would only have the sea at their backs. The only problem though, was that he couldn't keep his army waiting on the Wight because of harvest-time, and also because they'd already been waiting for months.
What would have happened if they'd waited a little longer, allowed Tostig and Hardrada the North and focused on William? We will, unfortunately, never know. But it's an interesting subject to contemplate!!
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