Who Was The Real King Harold? | King Harold: Fact Or Fiction | Timeline

Would the real King Harold pls. stand up, pls. stand up, pls. stand up...

I am a living descendant of Harold II but I want to stay anonymous so I don't tell you my real name.

shame the normans won

DO LADY Godiva was a real woman protesting taxes!!!!!!!!

I take inspiration in King Harold

I don't think its appropriate to call Harold Godwinson 'great.' He was the opposite of that. He not only lost his throne, he lost his entire people's way of life. He also indisputably usurped the English throne. He had no claim on England and Edward the confessor never once considered Harold as a potential successor. In fact, not only did Harold Godwinson lose the English throne he had no right to, he even lost his lands while Edward was King and was effectively banished from the Kingdom twice during Edward's reign. He 'ruled' England for only a few months and in that time, and indeed his entire life time, he did nothing remarkable himself. The only thing remarkable about Harold Godwinson is that England was conquered during his reign and Anglo Saxon culture was effectively obliterated as a result of the Norman conquest. This, I would think, would make Harold Godwinson one of the worst Kings England ever had and indeed, the worst of the Anglo Saxon Kings. The truth hurts.

Pevensey is lovely

Tony is a total pro ! Kind of sad in away, would be interesting to see what England would’ve been like had Harold been victorious. Language and landscape would’ve been quite different. Perhaps we’d have had 8 Harolds rather then Henry’s! 😃

i don't believe King Harold was killed by an arrow. For he was hacked to death by Norman Knights. The Bayeux Tapestry (Technically an embroidery, not a tapestry). Is just nothing but Norman propaganda!! Everyone has done it in the past, for who writes the history in the end, but the victor!!

Lmfao when buddy’s on the horse showing us the demonstration

What an amazing story!
Thank you for this.
❤

How many relics could there possibly be in 1060ish?

Having a collection of books on any subject in year 1000ish A D. Equals about 4 books totals

Does anyone else find comfort watching Tony Robinson documentaries when they're having bad days?

One aspect of the change that occirred when the Normans conquered England was that prior to 1066 Saxon priests were allowed to marry ... the Normans removed this right (possibly on the instructions of the Pope ... who blessed William's endeavour). The right of priests to marry, anywhere in the Catholic world, was finally removed, by force, in 1139. The right of priests to marry was actually part and parcel of early (Catholic) Christianity ... many of the Bishops who attended the Council of Niceae in 325 brought their wives and children with them.

Such an excellent communicator, he really brings the past alive.

25 miles a day for a week is heavy going....2 days maybe ...Our Modern army carrying food n shelter would do it but your average 20 year old be in trouble on day 3....If i was younger id try it n see if i eas as fit as a Saxon....??

What I don't understand is why is England called England?.
When became England was Saxon,the Anglo part was Northumbria.
Surely it should Saxony or something.

Excellent documentary, I've been fascinated by the history of Saxon England, and Harold in particular, but I still learned more from watching this. 1000 years on, this was still possibly the most dramatic and momentous sequence of events this country has ever seen, and because it resulted in the conquest, probably had a more profound, momentous and lasting effect on this nation than just about any other episode in our recorded history. It's sad that after a millennium, the earth now gives up so few clues about what happened that day, and history is written (or sewn onto cloth) by the victor to suit his purposes, much like the Tudors after the defeat of Richard III. It's a sobering thought that not a single aristocratic family in England can trace its noble lineage back further than the Norman conquest, because an entire layer of English society, the Saxon nobility, was totally wiped out; many slaughtered on the battlefield and in the battle's aftermath, or systematically dispossessed in the following weeks. I believe one Saxon earl did retain his title and lands for another year or two until he too was dispossessed by the Normans. It was literally out with the old, in with the new; the peasants feeding the pigs were still the same, but the lord in the castle collecting their taxes was new. And Tony was right, we are still living with the legacy of a rigid class system that has its roots in the Norman conquest. The nobility has become more diffuse over the centuries, with names of Celtic origin and some that are harder to identify, but just look how many of them still bear the prefix "De" or "Fitz" and you realise how comprehensive the influx of Normans was, all those years ago.

Despite him getting it wrong in the opening sentence Tony Robinson is always worth listening too.

anglo saxon ... well I know that he was most definitely SCANDINAVIAN .... even the first name and surname are pure viking origin

I've thought about this battle everyday for the last 30yrs.....love to be a bird in a tree to watch this moment in history

What can’t all our children be taught history through Tony Robinson’s documentary’s?

Imagine king who fought his own battles wouldn't that be a sight

I'm related to king Harold.

I’m surprised there’s no memorial to Harold, he annihilated one invasion and nearly saw off another within a short time. He led from the front and he died defending his country, if that doesn’t make you a hero, then I don’t know what does.

Plus imagine all the alternative scenarios, what if Hardrada won at Stamford Bridge, or what if Harold won at Hastings, or what if Hardrada and William were allies and were trying to catch Harold in a pincer movement etc. Amazing how different life would be today had any of those happened.

Tony Robinson did another documentary to find King Harald's living descendants. Using genealogical records he found King Harold's direct heirs living in rural New South wales - King Michael!!

Excellent documentary 👏👏👏

Thanks!

So, the The Vita Haroldi manuscript in the British Library that claims King Harold escaped Hastings and lived abroad? British Library Harley MS 3776.

Tony is so young in this

Funny how the French won but food never improved much 🤣

I love how people write comments to Tony Robinson here.

Historical political, religious and royal figures no different from modern day! 😢

That doesn't look like Crowhurst to me Tony. Where is the tree, the stone wall, the lake of blood, the great ditch, or how about some artifacts? Look to the old port of Hastings or Harold's estate 😉👍

I think Tony's closing comments on this documentary are so stirring and spot on. This is a really good demonstration of how our history informs our understanding of the present. Thank you for this.

Always a pleasure to see Mike Loades make an appearance

Tony Robinson and a little bit of Mike Loades talking history, don't mind if I do thanks

I love learning British history it's awesome

I don't know why but I really like Godwinson for some reason. I find his crushing Victory over Hadrada more impressive then Williams victory over Godwinson

Tony Robinson going full circle from Blackadder The First to the actual history behind it. Brilliant 🤩

Thanks

Shown 8pm-9pm Fri 27 Dec 2002. C4.

It would be loosed an arrow, not fired, and Harold Godwinson wasn't killed by the arrow. After that, he was killed when Norman cavalry (knights) cut through the English line to kill the king.