Average History Trivia: 1066 and All That | 10 Questions

Answer: Harold Godwinson

Contemporary Saxon and Norman sources state that on his deathbed, Edward gave both England and his wife Edith into Harold's safekeeping . Harold was Edward's brother-in-law, and had been his vice-regent for many years. In fact, much of the governance of England had been in Harold's hands during Edward's reign, as Edward focused more on ecclesiastical matters. William of Normandy, of course, disputed Harold's designation, claiming that the throne had been promised to him.

Answer: Edward's mother Emma was William's great-aunt.

Emma of Normandy was the link that connected William to the English royal family. Emma was William's grandfather's sister. She had been the wife to two Kings of England: Aethelred the Unready and Canute the Mighty.

Answer: William the Bastard

Before he became William the Conqueror, he was taunted with the rage-inducing nickname 'William the Bastard'. His mother, Arlette, had been his father's mistress. She was the daughter of a lowly Falaise tanner.

Answer: The witan

English kings were chosen by the witan, the 'wise men' of the Witenagemot. This group of royal advisers was comprised mainly of important landholders, aristocrats, and ecclesiastics. Though kings normally were chosen from the royal family, they still had to be approved by the witan.

Answer: Tostig

Tostig died fighting his brother Harold for the crown. He had always been in conflict with Harold, never happy to be in second place. Harold's other brothers and his mother supported him.

Answer: Harald Hardrada of Norway

Harald Hardrada of Norway invaded England, with Tostig's help. Harold Godwinson said that Hardrada would get only six feet of land in England (i.e, his grave).

Answer: Titles and lands in England

William needed a large army of men, and he lured many landless mercenaries with the promise of titles and land.

Answer: Bad weather

The weather caused a twist of fate that may have determined history. If William's army had arrived in August, Harold would have been ready for him--with a huge army that was fresh for the fight. Instead, William arrived after Harold had battled against the Norwegians and Harald Hardrada. Harold's army was exhausted and depleted. (Asimov, "The Shaping of England", 1969)

Answer: His mistress, Edith Swanneck, identified him

Legend has it that Edith Swanneck, Harold's longtime mistress, shuffled through the corpses and finally found Harold's body. She was able to identify him by bodily markings that only a lover would recognize. It is believed that Harold and Edith were together for at least twenty years, and that she bore him six children.

As a hand-fast wife, Edith was considered Harold's true wife by most of the English, but in the eyes of the Church she was a mere mistress.

Answer: False

Unlike Canute, William I dispossessed almost the entire Saxon aristocracy. By the time the Domesday Book was compiled, there were very few notable Saxon landholders left.