The Succession Crisis of 1066

The death of Edward the Confessor on 5 January 1066 created the most contested royal succession in English history. Four men had arguable claims: Harold Godwinson, William of Normandy, Harald Hardrada of Norway, and Edgar Atheling, the last male of the royal house of Wessex. Each claim rested on a different principle — election by the witan, promise by a reigning king, treaty with a previous dynasty, and direct descent — and because late Anglo-Saxon succession law did not rank these principles clearly, armed contest was almost inevitable.

This lesson examines the four claimants, the disputed events surrounding Edward's alleged promises to William and his deathbed bequest to Harold, Harold's coronation and the immediate political problem of his brother Tostig, and the omens — including Halley's Comet — that contemporaries read as judgement on the new king. Understanding the strength and weakness of each claim is essential for any Paper 2 "how far" question on why William won in 1066.

1. The Four Claimants

Claimant	Basis of claim	Strengths	Weaknesses
Harold Godwinson	Deathbed bequest; election by the witan	Coronated; resources of the English state	Not of the royal line; disputed oath to William
William of Normandy	Alleged promise by Edward 1051; Harold's oath 1064; papal support	Experienced commander; Church sanction	Foreign; promise and oath disputed
Harald Hardrada	Treaty between Harthacnut and Magnus of Norway (1040)	Formidable warrior reputation	Claim obscure; Scandinavian dynasty long out of England
Edgar Atheling	Only surviving male of Cerdic's line (great-nephew of Edward)	Pure royal blood	Aged c.14; no military following

1.1 Harold Godwinson

Harold was Earl of Wessex, commander of the fyrd, and brother-in-law to the dying king. English sources (the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle D text, the Vita AEdwardi) record that Edward, on his deathbed at Westminster, commended his widow and the kingdom to Harold's protection. The witan meeting in London the next day elected Harold, and he was crowned on 6 January — the day of Edward's funeral — either by Archbishop Stigand or, more probably, Ealdred of York.

1.2 William of Normandy

Duke William's case rested on two claims. First, that in 1051 — during Godwin's exile — Edward had promised him the throne; Norman chroniclers (William of Jumieges, William of Poitiers) assert this vigorously, but no English source confirms it. Second, that in 1064 Harold himself, shipwrecked in Ponthieu and handed to William, had sworn an oath on relics to uphold William's claim. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the oath; Norman writers made it central. Harold's supporters argued the oath was taken under duress and so was not binding. William secured a papal banner from Alexander II, giving his invasion the character of a crusade.

1.3 Harald Hardrada

The King of Norway based his claim on an obscure agreement between Harthacnut (king of England 1040–42) and Magnus the Good of Norway, by which each would inherit the other's kingdom if they died without heirs. When Tostig Godwinson, exiled in 1065, sought allies on the continent, he eventually offered his support to Hardrada. This transformed a paper claim into a plausible invasion.

1.4 Edgar Atheling

Edgar was the son of Edward the Exile (recalled from Hungary in 1057) and the only male descendant of Alfred's royal line. In January 1066 he was too young and politically friendless to command support; the witan passed over him. After Hastings, however, the same witan would briefly proclaim him king before submitting to William.

2. Edward's Promises and the Oath Debate

2.1 The 1051 promise

Norman sources claim that during the Godwin exile, Edward — freed from Godwin pressure — sent Robert of Jumieges to Normandy to offer William the throne. English sources do not record this. Modern historians divide: some argue Edward did make a tentative promise to strengthen William's hand; others see the "promise" as Norman propaganda invented after 1066 to justify conquest.

2.2 Harold's 1064 visit

What is undisputed is that in or around 1064 Harold sailed to the continent. Norman writers claim Edward sent him specifically to confirm William's claim. English silence is striking. On the voyage Harold was wrecked in the county of Ponthieu and imprisoned by Count Guy; William secured his release. During his stay Harold campaigned with William against Conan of Brittany and, before returning, swore an oath.