General Notes

Harold II (ca. 1022-1066), King of the English, the second son of Earl Godwine, was born about 1022. He is claimed by some to have been eldest son; at any rate he was the handsomest, the most accomplished, and in every respect the best of all the sons of Godwin. He succeeded to his father's territories and command, and to even more than Godwin's authority in the nation. While he was still very young (before 1045) he was appointed to the Earldom of the East-Angles. At the beginning of the year 1066 King Edward, called the Confessor, died, with his last breath recommending Harold as his successor. Harold was accordingly elected at once and crowned. William of Normandy challenged the crown, alleging both a bequest of King Edward in his favour and a personal engagement which Harold had contracted towards him in 1064, when Harold went to Normandy to obtain the release of two hostages, his brother Wulfnoth and his nephew Hakin. While there William, Duke of Normandy, made him promise to marry his daughter Adela and to assist him (William) in obtaining the kingdom of England after King Edward's death. William had made him take this oath over a tub which was covered with a cloth of gold and, when it was over, removed the cloth and revealed that the tub was filled to the brim with dead men's bones. So when Harold was crowned King in 1066, William prepared for the invasion of England to hold Harold to his oath. On the 25th of Sept., 1066, Harold defeated the invaders from Norway, who had been engaged by Harold's brother Tostig. Two days later William, Duke of Normandy, landed at Pevensey, and Harold marched south as fast as possible. He gathered his army in London from all southern and eastern England. The King then marched into Sussex and engaged the Normans on the hill of Senlac. After a fight which lasted from morning until evening, the Normans had the victory, and Harold and his two brothers lay dead on the field (14th Oct., 1066). Harold and his brothers stood on the spot where he fell. Harold was on foot, for every King of England was bound to fight on foot, to show that when he fought there was no retreat, and around him stood his thanes and nobles. Here with the English standards they all laid down their lives in its defense. Harold himself, when the Norman arrow pierced his eye, still kept his feet as best he could, till four Norman Knights, Eustace of Boulogne, Walter Gifford, Simon de Ponthieu and Simon de Montfort, rushed upon him and dispatched him with their swords. On this spot Duke William, now soon to be William I, the Conqueror, knelt down and returned thanks to God. He ordered that the spot be carefully marked out in order that the high altar of the great church he had planned to erect might stand exactly upon it. And so the high altar was set up on the spot where Harold had been killed. It was named the "Abbey of St. Martin of the Place of Battle." The Conqueror presented to the church his sword and his coronation robe. No site in England is better attested to than this spot where the Battle of Hastings was fought. Battle Abbey in Hastings, Sussex, the scene of the Battle of Hastings, is one of the great show places of England. Harold had several sons and two daughters, Gunhild and Githa. He married Agatha, daughter of Algar, Earl of Mercia, and granddaughter of Lady Godiva.