Edward the Confessor
- Created by: JKing13
- Created on: 08-12-17 12:17
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- Edward the Confessor
- Disputed succession
- Harold Godwinson was the most legitimate heir to the throne
- Had the support of the WITAN
- Edward's nephew (rightful heir) was only a teenager, so was too young
- He had been promised it
- He was the successor to the most powerful earl in the country - Godwin.
- William of Normandy had been 'promised' it
- Possibly by Harold Godwinson while he was on an embassy to Normandy on behalf of the King
- Edward's mother was Norman so there was Norman links
- Edward lived in Normandy while in exile for 25 years so there is a strong relationship between the two nations
- Other leaders and claims to the throne, eg. Harald Hadrada
- Harold Godwinson was the most legitimate heir to the throne
- The last years of Edward the Confessor
- Earl Tostig - brother of Harold Godwinson, was victim of a rising in his earldom
- Edward reacted by creating an army to put down the rising - but he still appreciated that Tostig's leadership was largely responsible for the rising.
- Harold and the King's other advisors agreed that the people of Northumbria had been pushed too far by Tostig
- Edward replaced Tostig with Morcar who was more diplomatic and a Northerner - Northumbrian's were no longer keen on southern leaders
- Harold weakened his own house in order to get to the throne when Edward died.
- He knew Edward was ill (So you could argue that he was being deliberately deceitful)
- Harold needed a United Kingdom more than a united house in order to hold off the Normans when he came to power
- Tostig was a rival claimant to the throne, so he needed all the help he could get within the close political circle
- People became disrespectful to his authority (Eg. Harold Godwinson after the rising against Earl Tostig)
- He died without any children, so when his death occurred, there was a succession crisis
- Earl Tostig - brother of Harold Godwinson, was victim of a rising in his earldom
- Not a warrior King
- Relied heavily on his Earls in order to protect England against attack
- Especially Earl Godwin who was the strongest Earl
- Very religious
- Made him popular amounst the religious population
- People believed God was guiding his decisions
- Respected law maker
- 'God helped him make his laws'
- He was mostly a peaceful person
- Relied heavily on his Earls in order to protect England against attack
- Disputed succession
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