Today is the 995th anniversary of one of those battles that turned the trajectory of history around. It did not only change England, but it reached out to France, Scotland, and eventually, to Europe in the centuries that followed it.
Yes, I refer to the Battle of Hastings.
Here’s the point of this comment. The battle was a reaction to a king that would not name his successor. Not out loud or on paper.
There have been other kings and a queen, who have pulled this stunt, not to name a successor, and no one appreciated it. Monarchs must be above board, and that is the point.
King Edward, the Confessor, was childless. That circumstance, in a monarch, is dangerous. Such a monarch, the leader of blood, as I like to say it, has a duty to his/her kingdom, country and people, to be forthcoming regarding the future. Edward was not. Whilst we do not know what exactly happened between Edward, Harold Godwinson and William of Normandy, the rumors state that Edward may have played both William and Harold off one another.
Why would Edward do this? Well, let’s send a psychologist back in a time machine to put good old Edward on the couch to hear his side of the story. As in, what motivated him. Edward, as far as I can tell from my readings, did not have a pleasant life. For the majority of his life he lived in exile in Normandy, with his mother’s family. Emma was a great aunt to William. Which made Edward a distant cousin. More importantly, Edward was Norman since he was brought up there. His elder brother, Alfred, was murdered by the Earl of Wessex, Godwin, who was King Harold’s father.
Are you getting all this?
Yes, it is complex. Edward became king because the Scandinavian kings died out, and the Anglo Saxons of England wanted one of their own. Edward was the last remaining child of Ethelred the Unready. So Edward became king in 1042. He was forced to marry Edith of Wessex, the daughter of Earl Godwin, and the sister of Harold. They had no issue. As Edward grew older, the story is he promised the throne to both Harold, and William. At one point, he sent Harold to visit William, perhaps with a message that William was to inherit the throne? Seems that Harold forgot to deliver the message.
When Edward died in 1066, William no sooner learned of the death, then he learned that Harold had grabbed the king’s treasure, and then had himself voted in as king. William, being William, did not take this sitting down, but standing up to gather his army and cast off to England. Unfortunately for Harold, the Scandinavians showed up. Again. Off he went to fight that invasion, whilst William landed in England.
Harold finished off the Scandinavian invasion, and then in a feat that is amazing, turned his army around to rush back to London, and then on to Hastings. It is suggested, that because Harold was fatigued and undersupplied, that is why he lost at Hastings. Harold was certainly a good soldier. But fate, which he had tempted, proved to be the master here. Harold was killed in battle, and because of that, his army lost heart.
On the 25th of December, 1066, the Duke of Normandy became king of England. And in the years to follow, that fact would lead to more wars. That, however,
is a story for a later date.