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| 1022 | Birth |  |
| Birth of Harold II, son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex |
| 1045 | Peerage | |
| Created Earl of East Anglia |
| 1051 | Exile of Harold II | |
| Harold accompanies hist father, Godwin, into exile |
| 1052 | Exile of Harold II | |
| Harold returns from exile & helps restore his father, Godwin |
| 1053 | Chief Minister | |
| Appointed Adviser to brother-in-law Edward the Confessor after the death of Godwin |
| Appointed Chief Minister |
| 1053 | Death | |
| Death of Godwin, Harold's father, succeeds as Earl of Wessex |
| 15th April Death of Godwin, Harold Godwineson succeeds to the Earldom of Wessex |
| 1053 | Peerage | |
| Created Earl of Wessex, 2nd most powerful person after the King |
| 1053 | Succession | |
| Claims Edward renounced his succession to William in favor of him on his deathbed |
| Succeeds his father Earl Godwin as Earl of Wessex |
| 1058 | Peerage | |
| Created Earl of Hereford |
| 1063 | Rebellion | |
| Harold allies with his brother Tostig of Northumbria to subdue Wales |
| Harold subdues Gwynedd, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, who had conquered all of Wales |
| 1063 | Succession | |
| Wessex Succeeds as King of England |
| Wessex The Witan elects Harold & William prepares to invade |
| 1064 | Arrest | |
| Handed over by Guy de Ponthieu to William I the Conqueror at the latter's order |
| Eu Handed over by Guy de Ponthieu to William I the Conqueror at the latter's order |
| Pas de Calais Held for ransom by the Count of Ponthieu after being found shipwrecked off France |
| 1064 | Marriage | |
| Harold II marries Aldith, daughter of the Earl of Mercia & former wife of Gruffydd |
| 1064 | Oath | |
| Bayeux Cross es the Channel & is captured, rescued by William & supports his succession |
| Bayeux Harold allegedly swears an oath supporting William I's claim to the English throne |
| Bayeux Harold allegedly swears an oath to William supporting his claim to the English throne |
| 1064 | Ransom | |
| Pas de Calais Held for ransom by the Count of Ponthieu after being found shipwrecked off France |
| 1064 | Shipwreck | |
| Ponthieu Harold II is shipwrecked off Normandy at Ponthieu |
| Pas de Calais Held for ransom by the Count of Ponthieu after being found shipwrecked off France |
| 1065 | Marriage | |
| Nov Agrees to marry Ealdgyth, sister of Edwin & Morcar to gain support for his accession |
| 1065 | Rebellion | |
| Northampton Harold takes a message from King Edward for Northumbrian rebels to make peace |
| Nov Northumbria Drives Tostig into alliance with King Harald Hardrada ("Hard Reign") of Norway |
| Nov Northumbria Sent to mediate with the rebels by Edward but Tostig is exiled |
| Nov Northumbria Supports Northumbrian rebels against his brother Tostig who replaced him with Morcar |
| 1065 | Succession | |
| 28th Dec London Edward tells Harold "I commend Edith & all the kingdom to your protection" |
| 1066 | Battle of Fulford | |
| 20th Sep Fulford Hadraada & Tostig defeat Edwin & Morcar then capture York |
| 1066 | Battle of Hastings | |
| 11th Oct Battle Marches from London with about 5,000 men in an effort to surprise the Norman invaders |
| 13th Oct Battle Arrives in Battle after 58 mile march from London which had taken its toll in infantry |
| 13th Oct Caldbec Hill Arrives in Battle after marching 58 miles from London |
| 13th Oct Battle Harold & his armies assemble near Battle after Harold has marched 58 miles from London |
| 14th Oct Battle Harold is killed in batlle |
| 14th Oct Telham Hill Harold loses his element of surprise & the Normans attack |
| 14th Oct Senlac Hill Hears of William's advance & forms a defensive position on Senlac ridge |
| 14th Oct Battle The battle takes place just 3 days after the battle of Stamford Bridge |
| 14th Oct Battle Victory goes to the Normans whose cavalry overcomes the Anglo Saxon foot soldiers |
| 1066 | Battle of Stamford Bridge | |
| 25th Sep Stamford Bridge Defeats Hardrada & his brother Tostig, near York, Hardrada & Tostig are killed |
| 1066 | Burial | |
| Believes William I buries Harold II on the sea-shore |
| Waltham Abbey Ealdgyth buries her former husband at Waltham Abbey |
| 1066 | Coronation | |
| 6th Jan Westminster Abbey Crowned King of England, on the same day Halley's comet is seen, an ominous portent |
| 6th Jan Westminster Abbey Harold ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064 |
| 6th Jan Westminster Abbey Ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064 |
| 1066 | Death | |
| 5th Jan London Death of Edward, he nominates Harold his successor on his deathbed |
| 14th Oct Hastings Death of Harold II, killed at the battle of Hastings |
| 1066 | Exile of Harold II | |
| Isle of Wight Hadrada is rumoured to be in in Isle of Wight preparing for an invasion |
| 1066 | Halley's Comet | |
| Halley's comet is seen over England, a portent of great things to happen |
| 1066 | Invasion of England | |
| Isle of Wight Hadrada is rumoured to be in in Isle of Wight preparing for an invasion |
| Tyne Harald III Hardrada arrives with an invasion fleet of 300 ships |
| Sandwich Harold mobilizes to confront Tostig at the Isle of Wight but Tostig lands in the north |
| Isle of Wight Lands on the Isle of Wight to confront William the Conqueror but he does not arrive |
| Humber Tostig invades the coast with a fleet of 60 ships but is defeated by Edwin |
| Humber Tostig is forced to seek proptection in Scotland |
| May Isle of Wight Assembles forces "larger than any king had assembled before in this country" |
| 8th Sep York Forced to disband his army & order his fleet back to London |
| 1st Oct York Hears news of the Norman landing while at a banquet in York |
| 2nd Oct Wessex Marches south as soon as he hears of William's landing |
| 6th Oct London Arrives in London from York in an attempt to head off the Norman invasion |
| 11th Oct Sussex Downs Gathers his forces & leaves for the Sussex Downs to cut William off from his ships |
| 1066 | Succession | |
| After Edward's death William asks Harold to honour his oath to him, Harold refuses |
| 6th Jan Harold Godwinson is chosen by the Witan to succeed Edward the Confessor |
| 6th Jan Succeeds as King of England |
