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- Harold II Godwinson, King of England was born between 1020 and 1022.3 He was the son of Godwine, Earl of Wessex and Gytha (?).2 He and Adeliza de Normandie were engaged circa 1063.4 He married Ealdgyth (?), daughter of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia and Elfleda (?), circa 1064 at York, Yorkshire, England.3 He died on 14 October 1066 at Hastings, Sussex, England, a blow from a sword wielded by a mounted Norman knight. He was buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. He and Eadgyth Swanneshals (?) were associated. He gained the title of Earl of East Anglia circa 1045. He succeeded to the title of Earl of Wessex on 15 April 1053. He gained the title of Earl of Hereford in 1058. He succeeded to the title of King Harold II of England on 6 January 1066. He fought in the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066.
Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and the brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor. Before coming to the throne Harold had been captured in France and, under duress, is alleged to have sworn that he would not accept the English crown but would support William of Normandy's claim. When Edward the Confessor died the Wittan (Council) elected Harold to succeed him and he was crowned at Westminster Abbey. In Sept 1066 King Harold Hardrada of Norway and Tostig, Harold of England's half brother, sailed up the Humber and landed at Ricall near York. King Harold marched his army from the South up Ermine Street and decisively defeated the invaders at Stamford Bridge on 25th Sept. Meanwhile, William of Normandy was assembling his forces at the mouth of the Somme and as soon as the wind was favourable he crossed the Channel and landed at Pevensey on the 28th September. Harold force marched south and reached Battle near Hastings on the 13th Oct. The following day, Saturday 14th October 1066, is probably the most memorable in English History. Each army consisted of about 7,000 men but the Normans had the advantage of bow-men and cavalry while the English relied on axe and spear-men. The battle raged fiercely all day and in the evening, William ordered his archers to shoot high so that the arrows would drop vertically. Harold was struck in the right eye and mortally wounded.
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