In this detailed biographical video, we consider the life and times of King Harold Godwinson, the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England. Most famous for his fall at the iconic Battle of Hastings in 1066, the life of King Harold is in fact one of personal, as well as national, tragedy. In this video we follow Harold’s life and career from his birth around a millennium ago in 1022 AD to his tragic fall at Hastings. Far from just the loser at Hastings, Harold was in fact a highly competent ruler, soldier and diplomat, having served with distinction for decades under his brother-in-law King Edward the Confessor throughout the mid eleventh century. Hopefully, this long and detailed treatment will reveal a man of exceptional bravery, determination and talent, second only to the king he served and having risen (by 1066) to a crown he was not born to wear, ultimately falling due to the most tragic of circumstances and bad luck. Also covered within (among other subjects) are the rise of the Godwinsons (including the 1051-52 crisis), as well as all the key events of the whole 1066 saga, including the three great battles of 1066! *** Below are some timestamps to help break up the video for casual viewers: 0:31 – Family Origins 1:30 – Harold’s Grandfather 3:29 – The Rise of Godwin, Harold’s Father 4:43 – Harold’s Mother Gytha 5:13 – Family Tree: Wulfnoth Cild to Harold and his Siblings 6:48 – Death of King Cnut & Succession Crisis 8:36 – The Capture & Mutilation of Alfred Atheling 10:00 – The Rise of Edward the Confessor 10:43 – Edward’s Norman Relations 12:28 – English Earldoms Map Circa 1045 AD 13:02 – Harold as Earl of East Anglia 14:39 – Marriage to Edith Swan-Neck 16:00 – Sweyn Godwinson: Harold’s Wayward Older Brother 19:48 – English Earldoms Map Circa 1050 AD 20:05 – Exile & Crisis (1051-1052 AD) 22:39 – English Earldoms Map Circa 1051 AD 28:59 – Harold Becomes Earl of Wessex (1053 AD) 29:47 – English Earldoms Map Circa 1053-1056 AD 32:47 – Tostig Godwinson Becomes Earl of Northumbria (1055 AD) 33:18 – English Earldoms Map Circa 1055 AD 35:51 – Harold VS Ælfgar (1055 AD) 38:11 – Harold Recovers Edward the Exile (1057 AD) 40:20 – The Rise of Harold’s Younger Brothers: Gyrth & Leofwine 41:32 – Mercian-Welsh Alliance 42:18 – Note: “North-Western coast.” 43:58 – Harold’s Welsh Campaigns (1062-1063 AD) 47:21 – Harold in Normandy (1064 AD) 50: 34 – Note: the hostages were given in 1051, but seized in 1052 and handed to William. 52:21 – Harold & the Breton Campaign (1064 AD) 54:23 – Harold Swears his Oath to William (1064 AD) 55:15 – Rebellion in Northumbria (1064-1065 AD) 1:04:16 – Harold’s Bid for the Crown 1:05:28 – Marriage to Edith of Mercia 1:06:37 – Harold’s Coronation 1:08:31 – Harold the Man: Personality, Appearance & Relationships 1:21:16 – Note: Ealdred was probably donating relics around or after 1060 when Waltham was re-built by Harold, not around 1051. Waltham did exist prior to Harold’s investment in it though. So, minor map errors here. 1:23:45 – Harold’s Reign 1:24:40 – Documents, Diplomas & Coinage 1:25:51 – Haley’s Comet 1:26:38 – Tostig Raids England 1:27:59 – William of Normandy’s Reaction to Harold’s Coronation 1:29:02 – William’s Appeal to the Pope 1:30:07 – William’s Preparations 1:31:00 – Tostig Allies with Harald Hardrada 1:33:06 – William Delays his Invasion? 1:34:09 – Harald Hardrada Sets Sail 1:35:08 – The Battle of Fulford (20th September 1066 AD) 1:38:59 – King Harold Marches North 1:41:16 – The Battle of Stamford Bridge (25th September 1066 AD) 1:44:23 – Pre-Battle Negotiations 1:45:56 – Battle Begins: the Berserker Holds the Bridge! 1:47:06 – The Fall of Harald Hardrada 1:47:46 – The Death of Tostig Godwinson 1:48:33 – Orre’s Storm 1:49:59 – The Norse Surrender: Olaf’s Oath 1:50:51 – Harold Marches South to London 1:52:29 – William Lands at Pevensey 1:54:04 – Harold Arrives in London (Before Hastings) 1:54:34 – Strategic Considerations: why did Harold Fight at Hastings? 1:55:54 – Containing the Normans in the Hastings Peninsula 1:59:51 – The Battle of Hastings (14th October 1066 AD) 2:00:37 – The English Occupy Senlac 2:04:35 – Taillefer: the Norman Champion 2:05:40 – The First Norman Infantry Assault 2:06:20 – The Bretons Rout: a missed Saxon opportunity? 2:08:45 – Feigned Retreat: chance or design? 2:10:26 – Norman Breakthrough: a Saxon Ajax! 2:11:17 – King Harold’s Death 2:13:04 – William Victorious at Hastings 2:13:31 – King Harold’s Body Recovered 2:16:40 – King Harold’s Final Resting Place? 2:17:28 – William Marches on London 2:18:27 – William the Conqueror’s Coronation 2:19:02 – King Harold’s Legacy: How the Current Monarch Descends from Harold *** Buy Me A Coffee: paypal.me/historyhub Written, researched, narrated and produced by Adam Clarke. #1066 #battleofhastings #medievalhistory

• published: 18 Apr 2022
• views: 66316