The fact that Harold chose what the people wanted over his brother shows you he would have been a fair ruler. Long live Harold the last Saxon King of England!
Harold Godwinson is one of the most interesting and heroic figures of the Middle Ages. He isn’t given nearly enough credit for the role he played in forging the England that was such a tempting prize to so many. I wish someone would make a big budget feature film on his life and impressive accomplishments.
@@historyprofiles His defeat by William the Conqueror wasn't a rout. It was very close. Harold could have prevailed. So history may have been very different.
I’ll never understand why the life and legacy of King Harold Godwinson isn’t celebrated to this day. He’s one of the greatest men England has ever produced.
I love all your stories and your voice is one that makes it most awesome to listen to along with the background music, all of your stories are wonderful!
The Vikings had already left their genetic legacy on the island of Britain by 1066. Harold Godwinson was himself half-Viking. Then again, it all circles back anyway because the Scandinavians are a Germanic people by ancestry. In other words, the people at Hastings were culturally different, but ethnically fairly similar.
There seems to have been a lot of intermixing at the ruling class levels that I think we don't really draw enough attention to. And then William the Conqueror was a Norman, the name coming from Viking Nor(se)men who settled and ruled a region of what is now France. I think I'd conclude that dynasty-building and alliance-building was the priority, with an aim to own power, control, and wealth, rather than Danes vs Anglo Saxons vs French Normans.
He was an Englishman with Anglo-Dane heritage, many Danes settled here peacefully and intermarried with the Anglo-Saxons, by 1066 they were just as English as everyone else.
Emma of Normandy, as well as being William's great-aunt, was Aethelred's second queen, by whom she was mother of Alfred Aetheling and Edward Confessor. She later married Cnut, by whom she was mother of Harthacnut. Edmund Ironside's mother was Aethelred's first queen, Aelfgifu of York. Their line rejoins the royal line when Margaret of Scotland's daughter Matilda married William's youngest son, Henry I, uniting all the bloodlines.
Thank you for this. Not sure it's the right niche but if anyone's veritably obsessed with Anglo-Saxon warfare and society I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt. Especially the military stuff rocks. Keep up with the amazing work.
Agreed, although he had a good start, overwhelming both the earl of merica and Northumbria. Godwisons surprise attack and rush north, really was something spectacular. How the king could unite his forces so quickly and March north to defeat the Vikings was something spectacular, thus killing one of the most legendary men alive at the time harald hardrada
You have to wonder how different England would be today in Modern Times had the Kingship dynasty stayed with the Anglo-Saxon lineage. One can only wonder! So many cultures blended over generations into the Modern Englishman and woman. So much cultural legacy! The same for Scotland and Ireland.
I appreciate the labeled, contemporary artwork being relevant to the narrative. (I find far too much irrelevant AI on YT history channels. Such as US Civil War photos with English Civil War narratives😂). Keep up the good work.
The History Channel's "Viking" series, The Last Kingdom (Based on the Saxon Chronicles) and Vikings Valhalla series are ALL available on NETFLIX! Some otherwise historical fiction was taken in the Last Kingdom but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable.
@@Dimera09arguably a better commander and battle general since he won the battle, although it was very close with the Saxons having the Norman’s on the run at one point - it’s only because of Williams leadership and his decision to show his face in the battle and reorganise his ranks and cavalry forces. This allowed him to launch a counter attack when the Saxons left their defensive position on the hill. Allowing the Norman cavalry to outflank the Saxon formation. Thus breaking the Saxon shield wall and then the true carnage ensued. Leading to Harold being slain. So arguably William was the better tactician. But there’s so many variables. The Saxon army being tired due to their war with hardrada etc
Very true that’s why his second name is godwinson, the son of Godwin, he probably had his mother to thank for his last name as she was the Scandinavian thus her culture greatly influenced him and his name. However, his father was the Saxon therefore by his paternal lineage he would have been regarded as an Anglo Saxon. The last Anglo Saxon king makes for a much better title than the last Anglo-Scandinavian king! I hope you enjoyed the video though!
The angles are a brother people to the Danes. Even when the heathens invaded they were related. This is why there are more North loan words compared to Welsh.
He was still just as English as someone with fully AS heritage. Particularly in Northumbria, many Danes settled here peacefully and intermarried with the English.
Sweyn II of Denmark turned his attention to England, once ruled by his uncle Canute the Great. He joined forces with Edgar Atheling, the last remaining heir of the Anglo-Saxon royal house, and sent a force to attack king William in 1069. However, after capturing York, Sweyn accepted a payment from William to desert Edgar, who then returned into exile in Scotland. Sweyn failed another attempt in 1074/1075.
Poor Harold Godwinson, he wasnt deigned to be king of England for long as our Almighty Father had other things planned for the future. But he was used to stop that great warrior king from the north, Harald Hardrada from ever seeing the English throne. Harold's lightning campaign of destruction in Wales was an operation of skill and genius, they knew from bloody experience how the Welsh fought and planned accordingly. The English forces eschewed their beloved chain mail so they can move swiftly into the bad Welsh terrain and harry the people to exhaustion. The Cymru, a particularly stubborn and hard fighting people had had enough, Gruffydd's bloody truculent head was sent to Harold. Even Edward I massive campaign of conquering Wales was never as effective. Harold would have made a great king of England had he lived, but alas this was not to be. The ambitious energetic Duke William of Normandy was to be king and sired a long line of kings and nobles. Aethelred the Unraed bad rule set England up to be conquered TWICE.
Completely agree with this statement! Especially aethelreds rule and how it set England up to be conquered, as it effectively removed the kings of England power base and he was the first of the house of Wessex to be overthrown
@@historyprofiles Indeed! The men of Wessex saw the Danes and Norsemen as existential threats even more so than the Angles from the times of the Heptarchy. Witness the significant resistance from the House of Wessex put up with Alfred then his children Aethelflaed and Edward the Elder up to his mighty grandson Athelstan Bretwalda. Aethelred failed to live up to his ancestors sense of honour and his own son Edmund Ironside's devotion to duty. The man invited dread and devastation with his incorrigible act of stupidity on St. Brice's Day, even though I do believe the Danes from the boroughs were conspiring against him, what he did to them was beyond senseless and quite fitting to his nomenclature. The fool left a punishing burden upon his valorous son to bear and decimated the Anglo Saxon fighting nobility, leaving space for the Danish henchmen of Cnut to establish control. The seeds had been sown for that fateful day in 1066.
@@bleekskaduwee6762unfortunately he remains un named in history, there are theories as to who he could have been, thus he remains a nameless berserker in the Anglo Saxon chronicles and sagas but his last stand lives on in the annals of history
@historyprofiles someone who had a last stand such as this hero deserves to have his name remembered, it is a real shame that we do not know who he is. I am a huge fan of your work. I have watched all of your videos atleast twice. Are you going to do a Crusades Era series?
@@aaronsaunders6974 in the video there is a whole chapter on hardradas invasion called the end of the Vikings age. I have a separate video documentary on Harald hardrada lasting over 1 hour if you want to check it out
It was a hot day and they were awaiting hostages, the Viking army didn’t expect the whole might of England to assemble and march all the way north in 4 days. Lack of forsight from hardrada, brilliant tactical move from godwinsson
Current monarch has one Anglo-Norman great grandparent on his maternal grandmother's side. Before that, the last Anglo-Norman ancestor was father of Elizabeth Woodville. Before that, Matilda of Scotland, great-grand daughter of Edmund Ironside, married Henry I. All others are German, Danish, Spanish, Scottish, etc. Current dynasty is a sub-branch of House Oldenburg through Prince Philip. Previous Dynasty was House Wettin through Prince Albert. Before that House Guelf through George of Hanover, and so on. Only five Saxon landowner families trace their male line to before the conquest.
The fact that Harold chose what the people wanted over his brother shows you he would have been a fair ruler. Long live Harold the last Saxon King of England!
murderer
Harold Godwinson is one of the most interesting and heroic figures of the Middle Ages. He isn’t given nearly enough credit for the role he played in forging the England that was such a tempting prize to so many. I wish someone would make a big budget feature film on his life and impressive accomplishments.
Agreed couldn’t have written this any better
@@historyprofilesyes, a movie would be great.
@@historyprofiles His defeat by William the Conqueror wasn't a rout. It was very close. Harold could have prevailed. So history may have been very different.
I’ll never understand why the life and legacy of King Harold Godwinson isn’t celebrated to this day. He’s one of the greatest men England has ever produced.
@@karigirl3569 well said and agreed
Because his reputation was besmirched by Norman propaganda…😤
Massive respect to Harold Godwinson a fitting man to be the last of the Anglo-Saxon kings.
Agreed! What a man! Had a warriors end too.
@@historyprofiles Definitely, competent man with a just cause who went down fighting to resist a foreign invader.
Perhaps the most under rated king of England.
Agreed, I hope you enjoyed the video!!!
Glad this video came out , I needed a break form the history that the world is experiencing at the moment. Thanks.
Thank you so much for watching!!
Amen
You only bring magnificent histories. Thank you for making the weekend awesome! All the best History Profiles
Glad you like them! Thank you Elke!
@@historyprofiles
Always! 🙏🏻You!
I love all your stories and your voice is one that makes it most awesome to listen to along with the background music, all of your stories are wonderful!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video!!
Thanks For this! Love your content 😊😊😊
The Vikings had already left their genetic legacy on the island of Britain by 1066. Harold Godwinson was himself half-Viking. Then again, it all circles back anyway because the Scandinavians are a Germanic people by ancestry. In other words, the people at Hastings were culturally different, but ethnically fairly similar.
Very accurate, just labelled differently because of culture and mixtures of blood
There seems to have been a lot of intermixing at the ruling class levels that I think we don't really draw enough attention to. And then William the Conqueror was a Norman, the name coming from Viking Nor(se)men who settled and ruled a region of what is now France. I think I'd conclude that dynasty-building and alliance-building was the priority, with an aim to own power, control, and wealth, rather than Danes vs Anglo Saxons vs French Normans.
He was an Englishman with Anglo-Dane heritage, many Danes settled here peacefully and intermarried with the Anglo-Saxons, by 1066 they were just as English as everyone else.
STOKED! I love these videos on the earliest kings of the various kingdoms and early monarchy! Thank you!
Thank you so much for watching! It means a lot!!
Literally came from watching Vikings Valhalla (for the second time) to this upload! 🎉😊
Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!
Are you looking forward to the new season ?
The History Channel's "Vikings" series, The Last Kingdom and Vikings Valhalla are ALL now on Netflix!
Enjoy!
It doesn’t do the English any justice at all and it’s incredibly inaccurate. I will never forgive what they did to Edmund Ironside. 😠
This is EPIC and in depth, 👍🍻 cheers man
One of my favourite times in history ever! A lot went into this one! Glad you enjoyed it
A great watch thank you for such detailed well presented work
Thank you so much! It means a lot!!
Emma of Normandy, as well as being William's great-aunt, was Aethelred's second queen, by whom she was mother of Alfred Aetheling and Edward Confessor. She later married Cnut, by whom she was mother of Harthacnut. Edmund Ironside's mother was Aethelred's first queen, Aelfgifu of York. Their line rejoins the royal line when Margaret of Scotland's daughter Matilda married William's youngest son, Henry I, uniting all the bloodlines.
Great knowledge sir! You are very well versed in early English/ Norman/ Scandinavian medieval history!
This adds a whole new level to the White Ship disaster and the Anarchy, knowing this. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this. Not sure it's the right niche but if anyone's veritably obsessed with Anglo-Saxon warfare and society I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt. Especially the military stuff rocks. Keep up with the amazing work.
Thank you so much for watching! I hope you enjoyed the video! And I’ll be sure to check it out
Thank you for the video & I appreciate the work you put in on it.
Thank you so much for watching! It really means a lot! Makes all the work worth it!
@@historyprofiles Just keep up the great work 👍🏻
Excellent video! I read a lot of history, but I didn't know much of what was presented here. Thanks!
Thank you so much! A lot of work went into the video so I appreciate your comment so much!
All that work shows through.
Timing of hadrada’s invasion could not have been worse
Agreed, although he had a good start, overwhelming both the earl of merica and Northumbria. Godwisons surprise attack and rush north, really was something spectacular. How the king could unite his forces so quickly and March north to defeat the Vikings was something spectacular, thus killing one of the most legendary men alive at the time harald hardrada
Beautiful ❤
Thank you! Your comment means a lot!
I heard Harold II is descendant of Aethelwulf son and brother of Alfred the Great
Many historians believe he was, I include his descent from aethelred I in the video
And Edward the Conqueror is great grandson of Rollo the Walker
So he wasn’t English then .
@@phillipcarter8045Yes his father’s line were Earldorman of Sussex & Wessex.
You have to wonder how different England would be today in Modern Times had the Kingship dynasty stayed with the Anglo-Saxon lineage.
One can only wonder! So many cultures blended over generations into the Modern Englishman and woman.
So much cultural legacy! The same for Scotland and Ireland.
I appreciate the labeled, contemporary artwork being relevant to the narrative.
(I find far too much irrelevant AI on YT history channels.
Such as US Civil War photos with English Civil War narratives😂).
Keep up the good work.
The History Channel's "Viking" series, The Last Kingdom (Based on the Saxon Chronicles) and Vikings Valhalla series are ALL available on NETFLIX!
Some otherwise historical fiction was taken in the Last Kingdom but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable.
The last ENGLISH king, after that the dynasties were Viking, French, Welsh, Scots and German.
We didn’t have a Viking dynasty, they were Normans in 1066.
And I’d much rather have a German dynasty than a French one, I suppose. 😂
Hail the true King
Good History Of Kings
William may have been better but gotta give Harold crédit: He defeated the Last great viking in hardrada
Better at what?
The king that ended the viking age and the last Saxon king! Had to do a video on his life through his own lens
@@Dimera09arguably a better commander and battle general since he won the battle, although it was very close with the Saxons having the Norman’s on the run at one point - it’s only because of Williams leadership and his decision to show his face in the battle and reorganise his ranks and cavalry forces. This allowed him to launch a counter attack when the Saxons left their defensive position on the hill. Allowing the Norman cavalry to outflank the Saxon formation. Thus breaking the Saxon shield wall and then the true carnage ensued. Leading to Harold being slain. So arguably William was the better tactician. But there’s so many variables. The Saxon army being tired due to their war with hardrada etc
May have been better?!?! Harold would have slain William in single combat
He wasn't better he was lucky
nice 🔥💯💪🏻
I think a food tester would have been good at these banquets
Food and wine taster yes! Poor harthacnute!
Nice
Actually, he was only HALF anglo-saxon, at most. His mother wasn’t anglo.
Very true that’s why his second name is godwinson, the son of Godwin, he probably had his mother to thank for his last name as she was the Scandinavian thus her culture greatly influenced him and his name. However, his father was the Saxon therefore by his paternal lineage he would have been regarded as an Anglo Saxon. The last Anglo Saxon king makes for a much better title than the last Anglo-Scandinavian king! I hope you enjoyed the video though!
The angles are a brother people to the Danes. Even when the heathens invaded they were related. This is why there are more North loan words compared to Welsh.
He was still just as English as someone with fully AS heritage. Particularly in Northumbria, many Danes settled here peacefully and intermarried with the English.
THANK YOU
Peace & Enlyghtenment Alwayz
A Micah Hill Dezert-Owl
Search Name
Thank you for watching! I hope you enjoyed the video!!
@@historyprofiles I LOVE YOUR WORK ... ONE OF MY AREAS OF RESEARCH. Peace & Enlyghtenment Alwayz, Dezert
Why the King of Denmark did not then in 1066/1067 lay cliam to the throne?
Sweyn II of Denmark turned his attention to England, once ruled by his uncle Canute the Great. He joined forces with Edgar Atheling, the last remaining heir of the Anglo-Saxon royal house, and sent a force to attack king William in 1069. However, after capturing York, Sweyn accepted a payment from William to desert Edgar, who then returned into exile in Scotland. Sweyn failed another attempt in 1074/1075.
Poor Harold Godwinson, he wasnt deigned to be king of England for long as our Almighty Father had other things planned for the future. But he was used to stop that great warrior king from the north, Harald Hardrada from ever seeing the English throne. Harold's lightning campaign of destruction in Wales was an operation of skill and genius, they knew from bloody experience how the Welsh fought and planned accordingly. The English forces eschewed their beloved chain mail so they can move swiftly into the bad Welsh terrain and harry the people to exhaustion. The Cymru, a particularly stubborn and hard fighting people had had enough, Gruffydd's bloody truculent head was sent to Harold. Even Edward I massive campaign of conquering Wales was never as effective. Harold would have made a great king of England had he lived, but alas this was not to be. The ambitious energetic Duke William of Normandy was to be king and sired a long line of kings and nobles. Aethelred the Unraed bad rule set England up to be conquered TWICE.
Completely agree with this statement! Especially aethelreds rule and how it set England up to be conquered, as it effectively removed the kings of England power base and he was the first of the house of Wessex to be overthrown
@@historyprofiles Indeed! The men of Wessex saw the Danes and Norsemen as existential threats even more so than the Angles from the times of the Heptarchy. Witness the significant resistance from the House of Wessex put up with Alfred then his children Aethelflaed and Edward the Elder up to his mighty grandson Athelstan Bretwalda. Aethelred failed to live up to his ancestors sense of honour and his own son Edmund Ironside's devotion to duty. The man invited dread and devastation with his incorrigible act of stupidity on St. Brice's Day, even though I do believe the Danes from the boroughs were conspiring against him, what he did to them was beyond senseless and quite fitting to his nomenclature. The fool left a punishing burden upon his valorous son to bear and decimated the Anglo Saxon fighting nobility, leaving space for the Danish henchmen of Cnut to establish control. The seeds had been sown for that fateful day in 1066.
Trying to find the connection between the Godwin family and the Golding family
Can't watch this not enough Diversity. Can you black it up a bit for our new historical narrative.😂😂😂
❤ Good to see real history ❤
Thank you for watching!!
A legendary warrior who's name we don't know ?
Who’s name don’t you know the berserker at Stamford bridge?
@@historyprofiles yes sir
@@bleekskaduwee6762unfortunately he remains un named in history, there are theories as to who he could have been, thus he remains a nameless berserker in the Anglo Saxon chronicles and sagas but his last stand lives on in the annals of history
@historyprofiles someone who had a last stand such as this hero deserves to have his name remembered, it is a real shame that we do not know who he is. I am a huge fan of your work. I have watched all of your videos atleast twice. Are you going to do a Crusades Era series?
@@bleekskaduwee6762yeah I will cover the crusades eventually, any people you want specifically covered?
My roots are Scottish but my dad named me after Harold Godwinson.
I often thought I was a descendant of Harold Godwinson.
Why?
didn’t hear about hardrada’s invasion that happened simultaneously-totally overshadowed by the normans
@@aaronsaunders6974 in the video there is a whole chapter on hardradas invasion called the end of the Vikings age.
I have a separate video documentary on Harald hardrada lasting over 1 hour if you want to check it out
why in heavens name
did they not bring their shields and armor with them
It was a hot day and they were awaiting hostages, the Viking army didn’t expect the whole might of England to assemble and march all the way north in 4 days. Lack of forsight from hardrada, brilliant tactical move from godwinsson
Notice all the Anglo-Saxon kings prior to 1066 were blonde
Damn Godwin was a busy man with his wife
Normandy isn't Anglo-- Saxon
@@Fires755 I never said it was Normandy is Norman
What do ya mean, last Saxon? Aren't the current monarchy Anglo Saxon?
Current monarch has one Anglo-Norman great grandparent on his maternal grandmother's side. Before that, the last Anglo-Norman ancestor was father of Elizabeth Woodville. Before that, Matilda of Scotland, great-grand daughter of Edmund Ironside, married Henry I. All others are German, Danish, Spanish, Scottish, etc. Current dynasty is a sub-branch of House Oldenburg through Prince Philip. Previous Dynasty was House Wettin through Prince Albert. Before that House Guelf through George of Hanover, and so on. Only five Saxon landowner families trace their male line to before the conquest.
Descendants of the French Normans.
They can still technically trace their line back to Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor and Harold Godwinson.
Hardrada and godwinson both died with a stray arrow!!!😂
"...he died and briefly regained consciousness." Are you mad?
Oh vey
Very annoying music