

Task 9: 1066 AD. Was it a family feud?

In this task we are going to take a look at the medieval battle of England
which took place in the year 1066 AD

This task requires you answer the following questions.
Name the three main players (let us call them dominions) in this battle.
Then conclude if you feel there was some dark forces (conspiracy) at play
Read the following extracts and then write your answer.

Before you read the first extract I wish to draw your attention to the Name 'Emma of Normandy'.

Extract 1:
...King of England from 1042, the son of Ethelred II.
He lived in Normandy with his mother Emma of Normandy's relatives until shortly before his accession to the English Throne.
During his reign power was held by Earl Godwine and his son Harold,
while the king devoted himself to religion, including the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey (consecrated in 1065),
where he is buried.
Edward died in January 1066 and his childlessness led to a struggle for power...

See the full article here:

Extract 2:
 Picture of King Cnut

...Upon gaining the English crown, Cnut raised Thorkell the Tall to the highest estate in England.
After securing his English support and marrying the dowager English Queen, Emma of Normandy,
Cnut began the replacement of noble English vassals with able Danes from his old army.
In 1017, he created the four earldoms.

See the full article here:

Extract 3:
...Unsatisfied with only being Duke of Normandy, William believed that,
based on his ancestry, he had a rightful claim to the English throne.
His aunt, Emma, was the daughter of Richard I, 3rd Duke of Normandy.
Emma married the King of England, Ethelred.
After Ethelred’s death, in approximately 1016, Canute of Denmark invaded England and became King.
Canute then married Emma as well.
Since Emma, William’s great aunt, was married to two English Kings,
 Picture of King William the Conquerer

William believed this gave him a hereditary claim to the English throne.
Typically, England chooses the heir to the throne hereditarily,
but it was a group of nobles and church officials called witena gemot that had the final say.

See the full article here:

Extract 4:
...King of England from 1016, Denmark from 1018, and Norway from 1028.
Having invaded England in 1013 with his father, Sweyn, king of Denmark, he was acclaimed king on Sweyn's death in 1014 by his Viking army.
Canute defeated Edmund (II) Ironside at Assandun, Essex, in 1016, and became king of all England on Edmund's death.
He succeeded his brother Harold as king of Denmark in 1018,
compelled King Malcolm to pay homage by invading Scotland in about 1027,
and conquered Norway in 1028. He was succeeded by his illegitimate son Harold I.

See the full article here:


Okay answering the question.
In your first sentence state that the Battle in England in 1066 was caused by the death of Edward the confessor
(he died with no heir to the Throne).
In your next three sentences mention the Normandy dominion, the viking dominion and the Catholic church (witena gamot).
Finally speculate if you feel this was a family feud (mention Emma of Normandy);
being overseen and supervised by the catholic church.

Task Discussion