All my posts: https://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?u=zw219551
or search for 'martin cadwell -caldwell' Take note of the position of the minus sign to eliminate caldwell returns or search for 'martin cadwell blog' in your browser.
I am not on YouTube or social media
[ 6 minute read ]
The Kent Landings
Invasion!
Today, 14th October, is Battle of Hastings Day (Well, it is in my head).
On the morning of 14th of October 1066, some Vikings, pretending to be Normans because they had lived in Northern France for a couple of generations, decided that since they were on English soil they might as well attack the Anglo-Saxon Army that came to meet them for a friendly cup of tea. Fresh from fighting his brother, Tostig, and King Harold Hardrada's invading force (more pesky Vikings) at Stamford Bridge near York, Harold, King of England since only the 6th of January, got into an argument with Duke William of Normandy. Their armies joined in and many men died at the scene. William went on an eleven week 'jolly' on the way to visit London, and with a massive hangover, was crowned King of England on Christmas Day that same year. The newspapers had the headline, 'Dire consequences from Christmas prank'.
It could have happened like that but historians are fairly well united in believing that William of Normandy was already intent on claiming the crown of England because there was an agreement between him and Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042-1066) that William should be the next King if England. The problem is, and this is what historians believe, is that Harold Godwineson also believed his own conversation with Edward the Confessor included Edward's wish for Harold to be the next king of England.
Just to muddy the waters, Harold's outlawed brother Tostig had persuaded Harold Hardrada, a Norwegian king, that England was ripe for the taking. They attacked near York at Stamford Bridge, in the North of England, over 250 miles from Hastings on the South England coast that faces the English Channel. A couple of websites say that the car journey would be about five hours; but King Harold and his army, once intelligence reports reached Harold of a gathering invasion about to invade across the channel, had to walk. We are told that Harold's army met the Norman invaders and William some miles inland from the English Channel (La Manche - 'the sleeve').
The whole period is a story-writers dream for plots, twists, betrayal, fighting, glory, death, punishment, fear and celebration. Yet, the battle of Hastings is an open sore on English pride. I don't really know why. The English language is a mix of French, German, Latin, and a few words from the indigenous people and from overseas conquest. Conquest is entirely English. Perhaps that is why it is so shameful to lose such a monumental battle to an illegitimate man who took advantage of a family problem. 'It just isn't Cricket!'
Harold was son of Godwine, Earl of Wessex. In those days, England was split into a handful of powerful earldoms and a few little ones. Godwine was the most powerful Earl with the greatest resources at hand. Unfortunately, his sons were unruly, and both Sweyn and Tostig were a bit feisty. In those days, upsetting the king through piracy off the English shore meant that you would be outlawed, which meant that anyone could legally murder that person without having to pay compensation to the affected family. You could win favour and return to the English fold, by doing something to please the king, but Tostig, decided to invade with the king of Norway's army, on the 25th September 1066.
Harold, upon the death of his father, who died in 1053, became the leader of the strongest earldom in England.
Godwine, Harold's father was made an earl (circa 1018) by King Cnut. Godwine dominated Edward the Confessor. Edward outlawed Godwin for not following his wishes. Godwine attacked England and Edward relented. We should also be aware that Godwine was also held responsible for the murder of one of the claimants to the throne upon Cnut's death. After the battering of Edward the Confessor in a battle in 1052 and a subsequent obsequious buttering up of Edward the Confessor, who had after all, married Godwine's daughter, Edith in 1045. The Godwine famiy assumed that they would rightlfully claim the English throne upon Edward the Confessor's death, since he had no issue (rightful heirs). Edward, however, was pro-Norman and had wanted to fill his court with Normans. William of Normandy believed he had been told by Edward the Confessor that he should claim the throne of England. Hence we have a battle in 1066.
I celebrate the 14th October as the day that a bullying family was crushed. I can't stand conniving and snivelling sycophants, who desire to seize power to control others for a menacing gathering of wealth. Bullies, greedy people, liars, cheats and charlatans, I see, in the Bayeau Tapestry, your leader poked in the eye with an arrow 959 years ago. And be clear on this, it is not the arrow of Love that Cupid shoots, that I see.
The Bayeaux Tapestry is an embroidery that shows the sequence of events of the Battle of Hastings as seen by the winners.
I heard that such is the underlying anxiety still felt by the Norman attack in 1066 that there is a monument erected by the English in a French cemetary for the fallen French soldiers of World War Two that reads something like this: 'Despite you attacking us in 1066 we have forgiven you and came to save you in this war.' A little contentious in its thrust if it is true. Yet, there was an underlying current of resentment and scorn that cannot be easily dismissed. If the inscription exists on a monument, it is of its time and for me is indicative of British humour. Again, if it is true, I am certain that there is no real resentment towards the French soldiers of the second World War. Rather, it is a salute to the fallen French who deserved honourable recognisance, but with the dark and stiff upper lip humour of the British of that time. I think it is one of the saddest inscriptions that I can ever imagine coming across. It, if it exists, is a show of comradeship not division; of loss not gain in position. It kind of says: 'We are family, and as family we are loyal'.
Thank you to the French for your wonderful language and your laws that came from the consequences of the Battle of Hastings, particularly from William the Conqueror's descendent King Henry II, (great-grandson) who codified much of England's laws.
The 14th of October is the day that England was rescued from tyranny.