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4 unusual facts about Harold Godwinson


Coat of arms of Moscow

According to some theory, this might have been a reference to St. George as the patron saint of England, since Mstislav's maternal grandfather was the last Anglo-Saxon king of that country, Harald II.

The Tragedy of Macbeth Part II

The Norwegians would have been unlikely to be planning an invasion of Scotland in 1068 after their decisive defeat at Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 in Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson's "swan-song" victory (Harold was defeated and killed at Hastings shortly afterwards)

The year of the three kings

1066: Harold Godwinson succeeded Edward the Confessor as King of England, but was ousted by William the Conqueror

Yuri Dolgorukiy

According to Vasily Tatishchev, Yuri was born in 1090 which would make him a son of Vladimir Monomakh's first wife Gytha of Wessex, a daughter of Harold Godwinson.


Bayeux Cathedral

It was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take the oath, the breaking of which led to the Norman conquest of England.

Bleddyn ap Cynfyn

Gruffydd's consolidation of power and alliance with Ælfgar of Mercia made him a threat to Harold Godwinson, earl of Hereford.

Cultural depictions of Harold Godwinson

Fictional accounts based on the events surrounding Harold Godwinson's brief reign as king of England have been published, notably the play Harold, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in 1876; and the novel Last of the Saxon Kings, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, in 1848.

Estrid Bjørnsdotter

Estrid Bjørnsdotter was the daughter of Björn Byrdasvend and Rangrid Guttormsdotter, who was a probable descendant of Tostig Godwinson, the brother of the last Anglo-Saxon King of England Harold Godwinson.

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn

Gruffydd now allied himself with Ælfgār, son of Earl Leofric of Mercia, who had been deprived of his earldom of East Anglia by Harold Godwinson and his brothers.

House of Mathrafal

The house of Mathrafal was effectively established in the wake of Harold and Tostig Godwinson's disastrous raids in 1062 and 1063.

Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn

Following the 1063 invasion of Wales by Harold and Tostig Godwinson that overthrew Gruffydd, Rhiwallon and Bleddyn jointly received Powys and Gwynedd on condition of faithfully serving Edward the Confessor "everywhere by water and by land".

Riccall

However this was to be his last taste of victory, as his army was defeated shortly afterwards by the forces of King Harold Godwinson of England at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, in which Hardråda himself died.

Robert Fitzharding

Robert Fitzharding is believed to have been the grandson of Eadnoth, who had held the post of Staller under King Edward the Confessor and King Harold.

Rougemont Castle

After the Norman conquest of 1066, Gytha, mother of the defeated King Harold, was living in Exeter and this may have caused the city to become a centre of resistance to William the Conqueror.

St Olave's Church, Exeter

St Olave's Church is a small church founded in 1053 by Lady Gytha the mother of King Harold.


see also