The Norman Claim to the English crownBackground - England in Turmoil - England had been in a power struggle for approximately two hundred
years - England had been formed of many small kingdoms including Wessex,
Mercia, Northumbria and Cornwall. The Saxons saw themselves as several different countries ruled by one English King - Edward the Confessor (in preference to any foreign kings such as King Canute who was also the King of Denmark)
The Relationship between Normandy and England - Normandy had close ties of friendship with Wessex dating back to 988
- In 988 a formal treaty was arranged between Wessex and Normandy by the Pope
- The treaty signed by Normandy and Wessex agreed not to harbor the
other’s enemies, namely, the Vikings! - Normandy was the closest land opposite Wessex separated by the channel and they were natural trading partners
- The rulers of the House of Wessex had used Normandy as their refuge in times of trouble
- Edward the Confessor had lived in Normandy and had many friends there. He even brought Norman advisors to his court in England
- In 1051 Edward the announced that a Norman should succeed him and become King of England
Duke William the Bastard's Claim to the English Throne - Duke William the Bastard justified his claim through his blood relationship with Edward the Confessor (they were distant cousins)
- William strengthened this claim by stating that Edward the Confessor
had designated him as his successor - William claimed Harold Godwinson had sworn a sacred oath of allegiance to him and to his right to the throne
- When Harold broke the oath William received religious and political backing from Rome to start a Holy Crusade against Harold who the Pope had excommunicated!
To find out more about their claims to the English throne please click one of the following links: The Hardrada the Viking claim
The Harold Godwinson of Wessex claim
The Edgar the Aetheling claim
Wessex and the Anglo Saxons
The Kings of England 871 - 1066
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