HAROLD
Harold, b 1022? d 1066, King of England, rival of William I (William the
Conqueror). Harold was the son of Godwin, earl of Wessex. He
belonged to the most powerful noble family of England in the reign of EDWARD
THE CONFESSOR. Through Godwin's rise, Harold was made earl of a part
of East Anglia. The fall of Godwin in 1051 however, involved the
family and all went into exile. Harold went to Ireland where he recruited
a strong force and brought it to the English coast. In 1053 he joined
his father and brothers in the expedition against England. Godwin
recovered power and Harold was restored to his old earldom. He was
not as high in the favor of the king as was his brother, Tostig, but his
succession in the earldom of Wessex and to great estates at his father's
death made Harold the most powerful figure in England except the king,
and Harold aspired to become heir to the throne. Harold gained some
glory by a great campaign against the Welsh leader, Gruffyd Ap Llywelyn
in 1062-63. About this time Harold, on a ship in the English Channel
was driven by an adverse wind to the coast of Ponthieu. The count
of Ponthieu seized him but was, as William's vassal, forced to surrender
Harold to William of Normandy. Harold was compelled to take an oath
to support William's candidacy to the English throne, and also agreed to
marry William's daughter. Returning to England, Harold renounced
his oath as one of coercion. When the Northumbrians revolted against
Harold's brother Tostig (made earl of Northumbria in 1055), and chose Morkere
in his place as earl of Northumbria, Harold took Morkere's part.
The family was thus divided when EDWARD THE CONFESSOR died, naming
Harold as heir instead of Edgar Atheling. Harold succeeded to the
throne also as the choice of the council. William of Normandy immediately
undertook an invasion. At the same time, Tostig, with Harold III
of Normandy, invaded England from the north. Harold went north and
soundly defeated them on 25 Sep 1066 at the Battle of Stamford Bridge,
in which both Tostig and Harold III were slain. The harassed king
hurried south to oppose William who had landed at Pevensey. Harold
established his forces in hastily built earthworks near Hastings.
They fought valiantly but were finally put to rout and Harold himself was
killed.
The recorded Norwood history begins at the time of William The Conqueror.
The romance of King Harold of England and Edith Swannaschells lasted all
their lives. When King Harold was killed by William in the Battle
of Hastings on 14 Oct 1066, it was Edith who recognized him among the dead.
Alnod Cilt (aka Jordanus de Scapeia),
of Swedish and Danish descent, the reputed oldest son of King Harold and
Edith, took refuge with his mother at Minster Abbey on the Isle of Sheppey
during the reign of William. The Isle of Sheppey is north of Kent,
near the mouth of the Thames River. It is about ten and one half
miles long from east to west and about five miles wide from north to south.
It is low lying, just above sea level, very fertile and most of it is treeless.
There is a small strip of timber on the north side. In the north
center of the island is an elevation of about two hundred feet. The
island is separated from the mainland by the river today. The prong
that separates it is called Swale. The island received it's name
from the fact that many sheep were raised there as they are today.
The name, Jordanus, or Jordan, is thought to have been assumed after a
pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he bathed in the River Jordan.
Home
Table of Contents
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page