Harold II, known as Harold Godwineson, (born c. 1020ādied Oct. 14, 1066, near Hastings, Sussex, Eng.), King of England (1066). The son of the politically powerful Godwine, earl of Wessex, he inherited his fatherās earldom and power in 1053. When Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, Haroldās supporters dominated the witan (kingās council) and chose him as king. He was opposed by King Harald III Sigurdsson of Norway, whom he defeated on Sept. 25, 1066, at Stamford Bridge near York. He then marched south to meet William, duke of Normandy, and was killed at the Battle of Hastings.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Harold II summary
Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Harold II.