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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
@@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
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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
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.
@@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?
