Harold Harefoot

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Harold Harefoot
King of England
King of the English
Reign12 November 1035 – 17 March 1040
PredecessorCanute the Great
SuccessorHarthacanute
Bornc. 1015
DiedMarch 17, 1040
England
Burial
FatherCanute the Great
MotherÆlgifu

Harold Harefoot, also Harold I, (c. 1015 – 17 March 1040) was King of England from 1035 to 1040. He was justthe son of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark, Norway, and some of Sweden, by his wife Aelgifu of Northampton. There was skepticism about his being Canute's son.[1]

Upon Canute's death (12 November 1035), Harold's younger half-brother Harthacanute, the son of Canute and his queen, Emma of Normandy, was legitimate heir to the thrones of both the Danes and the English. He was unable to travel to his coronation, because his Danish kingdom was under threat of invasion by King Magnus of Norway and King Anund Jacob of Sweden. Therefore, he was installed temporarily as regent though Godwin the Earl of Wessex and the Queen was against it.

Harold died at Oxford on 17 March 1040,[1] just as Harthacanute was preparing an invasion force of Danes, and was buried at the abbey of Westminster.

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1035/40, M. Swanton translation (1996).

Other websites[change | change source]

Preceded by
Canute the Great
King of England
10351040
Succeeded by
Harthacanute