The Norman Claim to the English
crown
Background - England in
Turmoil
-
England had been
in a power struggle for approximately two hundred
years
-
England had been
formed of many small kingdoms including Wessex,
Mercia, Northumbria and Cornwall. The Saxons saw themselves
as several different countries ruled by one English King -
Edward the Confessor (in preference to any foreign kings
such as King Canute who was also the King of Denmark)
The
Relationship between Normandy and England
-
Normandy had
close ties of friendship with Wessex dating back to 988
-
In 988 a formal
treaty was arranged between Wessex and Normandy by the Pope
-
The treaty
signed by Normandy and Wessex agreed not to harbor the
other’s enemies, namely, the Vikings!
-
Normandy was the
closest land opposite Wessex separated by the channel and
they were natural trading partners
-
The rulers of
the House of Wessex had used Normandy as their refuge in
times of trouble
-
Edward the
Confessor had lived in Normandy and had many friends there.
He even brought Norman advisors to his court in England
-
In 1051 Edward
the announced that a Norman should succeed him and become
King of England
Duke William
the Bastard's Claim to the English Throne
-
Duke William the
Bastard justified his claim through his blood relationship
with Edward the Confessor (they were distant cousins)
-
William
strengthened this claim by stating that Edward the Confessor
had designated him as his successor
-
William claimed
Harold Godwinson had sworn a sacred oath of allegiance to
him and to his right to the throne
-
When Harold
broke the oath William received religious and political
backing from Rome to start a Holy Crusade against Harold who
the Pope had excommunicated!
To find out more
about their claims to the English throne please click one of
the following links:
The Hardrada the Viking claim
The Harold
Godwinson of Wessex claim
The Edgar the Aetheling claim
Wessex and the Anglo Saxons
The Kings of England
871 - 1066
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