How Harold Harefoot Got His Name

=

 Harold Harefoot was a son of King Cnut and would succeed his father in 1035, albeit in dubious circumstances as a rivalry emerged between Harold and his half brother Harthacnut. Harold was born to an Englishwoman, though there are some question marks over the identity of his mother, and Cnut with Harthacnut being born during Cnut's second marriage, to Emma of Normandy. Cnut died in 1035 after ruling England for 19 years. Cnut had been a wise and just king, coming a long way from the Viking raids that he had been a part of during his early teen years. On one occasion ,during those early years, Cnut had ordered a group of hostages to have their ears and noses cut off, and in other cases castrated, before they were unceremoniously dumped. To the men that young Cnut was now leading, after the death of his father, this was a justified and almost praiseworthy show of strength. To those in Anglo Saxon England, it was an act of horrifying brutality. Cnut, however, after taking the throne in late 1016 proved himself to be more than just a brutish Viking and he grew to become not only one of early England's great kings but also a king who ruled over the North Sea Empire as he took control of Denmark and Norway too. Whoever succeeded him, had a hard act to follow.

Cnut died in 1035 and the throne should now have passed to Harthacnut who was currently in Denmark. A meeting was held as it was eventually agreed that Harold would hold the throne until Harthacnut had made sure his kingdom in Denmark was secure and peaceful. However, there were those who could see trouble in this arrangement and perhaps expected Harold to establish himself as outright king which could potentially lead to a civil war if Harthacnut landed in England. One of the most vocal voices of opposition was Earl Godwin, one of the most important figures in the history of 11th century England. And they were quite right to be suspicious of Harold's motives and Godwin, Harthacnut's mother Emma, and a group of noblemen attempted to resist Harold's attempts to take full control of the country. With Emma staying in Winchester, Godwin and his allies attempted to keep hold of Wessex but their efforts were ultimately futile and it was soon clear that Harold was now the King of England.

Godwin knew which way the wind was blowing and now he abandoned any potential alliance with Emma. In 1036, a new threat was posed to Harold's fragile kingship and potentially to Godwin as well. This was the arrival in England of two exiles. They were Alfred and Edward, sons of Aethelred The Unready and Emma of Normandy, whom she had been married to before her second marriage to Cnut. The two young men had gone into exile in Normandy with Aethelred after his brief deposition in 1013 and had remained there. The two intended to visit their mother, Emma, in Winchester but were ambushed by Godwin who attacked their travelling party with Alfred forcibly and terribly blinded, dying from his injuries with Edward just about escaping. Emma sensibly advised him to return to Normandy. Whilst Godwin may have been the man responsible for this awful act of violence, Harold Harefoot would not have been upset at the removal of one potential rival to his throne and the exile of another. In Denmark, Harthacnut, already furious at Harold's betrayal, was further outraged by these latest developments.

In 1037, Harold was formally recognised as King with Harthacnut taking too long in Denmark, according to the Anglo Saxon Chronicles and with Emma also forced to flee over the English channel, it appeared Harold had a strong grip on his throne now. Unfortunately his reign was entirely forgettable and it was largely spent consolidating power. He was clearly an athletic man as Harefoot is a reference to his fleetness of foot whilst hunting but, as king, Harold left little to no lasting impression. Indeed, some found it hard to believe he was Cnut's son. His assumption of the throne ahead of Harthacnut showed a lack of loyalty and honour. After Harold's death in 1040, Harthacnut finally came and took the English crown. He had Harold's body dug up, beheaded and dumped unceremoniously.