Would You Support Harald, Harold or William?

[ImperialistReich]

Possibly William of Normandy... but thats only because he introduced stone castles and many other techniques of making England powerful.
However... I would be in support of Harold Godwinson due to him being English and having a fair rule on the population...

[Anarius]

I voted Harald, I'm Norwegian after all. Granted his claim was a bit thin, but if I lived in 1066 I probably wouldn't have much choice after all.

[christof139]

Tostig, Harold's brother whom he, Harold, removed from the position of Earl of Northumbria.

[gfortune]

The obvious choice was the only legitimate heir, of the ancient line of West Saxons Kings, from Alfred the Great, the only grandson of Edmund Ironside, the Confessor's great nephew, Edgar the Aetheling!

The Witan would have had to voted Edgar King before any invasion, and made Harold the head of the Housecarles and all levies. But such a scenario would have been suicidal, based on two upcoming invasions and no heir of majority available. Since others have been crowned outside the bloodline, the only choice would be the military commander of their recent the Welsh War, and also already controlled Witan, Harold Godwinson.

Of course, after Hastings, the Witan chose the course of voting for Edgar as King, but The Conqueror raced toward London to be crowned, leaving the Witan to fleeing in the dust or submitting to William.

Wish we knew more of these two Aethelings, including the mysterious death of the nephew, Edward, on returning from Hungary to England, and the final fate of his son Edgar. The last notation I ever found was that Edgar, very old, based even on today's standards, went on the Baron's Crusade with the Bastard's son, Robert, who cashed out his Normandy Dukedom to his wily little brother, Henry. Edgar was involved in the providing ships for the Crusade. There is no information I can find if he survived or even made it to shore for Crusade. Robert of course survived and returned home, but his lovely little brother locked him up in some tower till he died at age 80. Then wily Henry and to fight it out and kill Robert's son, William, who was being backed by the French King.

It appears the real fire breather of Ironside's family was Edgar's only older sister, Margaret?, who married the Scottish King when she fled to Scotland. It appears Henry I married the daughter of the Scottish King to bring the Norman-Saxon bloodlines back together. But as fate would have it, the only legitimate heir and son, William, died shipwrecked leading to nephew Stevie and Henry's daughter fighting for the spoils.

Appears both families got the short end of the stick....with Henry, Count of Anjou, taking control for about 400 plus years.

Too bad this lovely mod could not be expanded into the future with a variation of the England Kingdoms' mod. No skills there for me, except some family history and name modifications for a mod

My dissertation for the evening..................

[christof139]

@gfortune, Sounds interesting!! Furthermore, you have provided another character for any 1st Crusade mod (or would it be 2nd Crusade) by the name of Edgar the Aethling, which would add more flavor & historical reality to such a mod. Very interesting.

[hannibalcaesar]

Harold, he was a very fair ruler-at least if you did not break laws.

[gfortune]

Thanks! My specialty is the Crusades mods I have developed. Check them out!

[christof139]

Thanks! My specialty is the Crusades mods I have developed. Check them out!

Where?

[Lord Lancelot]

Harald , i just like vikings

[Herr Lindstrom]

Harald Hardraade all the way.. How can you not support a dude who says this "I Kill without compunction, and remember all my killings. Treason must be scotched by fair means or foul, before it overwhealms me. The oak trees of insurrection grow from the acorns of treachery."

[christof139]

Harald Hardraade all the way.. How can you not support a dude who says this "I Kill without compunction, and remember all my killings. Treason must be scotched by fair means or foul, before it overwhealms me. The oak trees of insurrection grow from the acorns of treachery."

Easy. Contact the trade union & boycott the giant madman, and/or go hide-out for awhile somewhere afar. Then, when he is away, cut down all his oak trees & take all the acorns to feed your own livestock & grow your own oaks.

[johnboy]

one in the eye for harold as my granny was irish,mams maiden name is welch,and my brother in law is scott,see where im comin from,

[Reverend Scott]

I actually stood once upon the hill Harold died on in my youth...I think I understood why the Royal axemen foiught to the last on that October Day, as the Royal Guard did at The Hot Gates so many centuries before- ( Makes you wonder why Darius's Roiyal Guard murdered him themslves-lmao-different mindset)...
I voted William, as he was obviously the future, and in a certain sense...what would my American Birthland look like if William had failed?
It would be vastly different.
Period.
I think Harold's Axemen, The 300 with Leonidas, Valens's Guard at Adrianople, etc, UNDERSTOOD that the time of their order was done...might as well die on their feet, for there is no place left for them in the NEW order of things.
Only the Victors REALLY write History.
Harold did his absolute best-He fought and died with Honor for his nation and his people. Only two other English kings died on the battlefield in ALL of English history. I respect the members of this forum enough to NOT list them- I assume you all know, and I will not treat you as idiots.
After a forced march to kill Harald Hadrada @ the Battle of Stamford Bridge , his army endured a SECOND forced march the length of England to face William & his cavalry @ Hastings.
I would LOVE to see Harold get another chance...but without fresh forces at Hastings, I see no chance for victory...unless Harald could be defeated with a smaller force and pehaps an Irish assist? (Or a Pagan/Druid Rebirth in the dark forests of the Old Gods?)

[RomanSoldier9001]

Harold Godwinson

[Tis Holiness]

my step brothers ancestors actually fought in this battle, they were calledthe pilkingtons and they fought for king harold (being saxon obviously lol) the guy did survive though but him andhis family fled and changed theirname to de pilkington....after william was crowned and had won the entire country pilkington had all his land removed from him and was givern to a french noble.
lol sucks

[Heathen Storm]

Harald Hardraade, absolutely... I am Norwegian descendant myself, so of course I would support my king

[Kiyoshi]

Godwinson.

[Pharoah]

Godwinson.

[masterex]

Harald Hardrada of Norway

[Imperator Alexander]

William... 'cuz he won.