Make your own free website on   ENGLAND 1066 TO 1088   Geoff
Boxell  Everyone in England knows the date 1066, for in that
year England changed forever. Most will connect 1066 with the
Battle of Hastings, but Hastings was the culmination of a series
of major events that had taken place that year. When the saintly
and childless King Edward died the king's council, the Witan,
gathered to elect a new king. Finding no suitable member of the
Royal Family, they decided to make Harold Godwinson, Earl of
Wessex, the new king. Of Danish Royal blood through his mother,
he had in fact been effectively running the kingdom for several
years. Under his care England had prospered.  Harold faced a
challenge to his new throne from the Norwegian king Harald
Hardrada, who claimed to be Christendom's best warrior. Harald
invaded the north of England with a fleet of 360 longships
manned by men from all over the Viking world. After defeating
the local army at Fulford, he took York. King Harold Godwinson
marched 200 miles in six day