The Forgotten King of England | Harold Harefoot

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In the histories of English kings, Harold Harefoot stands as a shadowed figure, often overlooked by the legacies of his forebears and successors. His short reign is obscured by the grandeur of his father, Canute the Great, the might of his grandfather, Sweyn Forkbeard, and the enduring fame of the kings who followed, such as Edward the Confessor. Thus, Harold’s tale, entwined with both ambition and infamy, is seldom recounted in the sagas of old.

Yet, in the pages of Matthew Paris’ chronicle, The Life of King Edward the Confessor, Harold Harefoot emerges, not as a hero, but as a figure cloaked in tyranny. He is depicted as a ruthless usurper, murdering a rival to the throne. In those turbulent days of the 11th century, the fate of crowns in Northern Europe were forged by the sword rather than by birthright. Though a king’s eldest son might hold the strongest claim, he could easily be dethroned by a younger sibling or another contender altogether. Such was the tumultuous path that led Harold Harefoot to power, a path fraught with strife and controversy.

His name is blackened in the writings of his enemies, particularly in the Emmas econium, where he is branded a tyrant—a portrayal by those loyal to his stepmother, Emma of Normandy, who harbored her own ambitions for the throne. Even the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle dismisses his reign with cold disdain, stating, “He did nothing royal during his whole reign,” further tarnishing his already sullied legacy.

To some, Harold Harefoot was nothing more than a usurper,but the lords of England bent the knee to him, acknowledging his might if not his right. His reign was marked by a bitter struggle to erase the ancient lineage of Wessex, and by his rivalry with Harthacnut, his younger half-brother, who was the favored son of their father, Canute. This is the story of Harald Harefoot.

00:00 Introduction
01:59 World of Warships Legends
03:14 Ancestry & Viking Conquest of England
08:41 Early Life
14:49 Cnut’s Death & Rise to Power
18:49 Reign & Death of Ælfred Æþeling
24:36 The King of England
27:43 Death & Legacy

Music:
Track : Myths and Legends (Collection)
Composer: Noonsol
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Song : Noel Malekar – Voice of Prayer (No Copyright Music)
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#history #historyvikings #medieval #vikingshistory #historyprofiles #vikingsvalhallaseason1 #vikingsvalhallaseason2 #vikingsvalhallaseason3 #vikingsvalhalla #harefoot #englishhistory #vikinghistory

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20 thoughts on “The Forgotten King of England | Harold Harefoot”

  18. I really believe it’s time someone made a big budget blockbuster movie about pre Norman England. There’s such a wealth of material there that it would be difficult to narrow down the characters and plot lines.

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  19. Knowing how scary battle already must’ve been it had to feel great knowing the person ordering you into battle was also taking part in battle. That’s why being a leader today could never compare to being a leader in past history. Not only did past leaders have to deal with the politics of there countries you would often hear about how they won a great battle

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  20. A few people that crossed Emma seemed to have come to a sad end.
    As I recall, those mercenaries that were escorting Alfred were from Boulogne according to one source I have read. Godwin could have made more enemies than he knew by executing them.
    Just a thought
    rwmccoy

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