#1 – The Challenges of a King
In AD 1045 Earl Godwin of Wessex prepares for the marriage of his daughter Edith to King Edward, securing the Godwin family's place at the centre of English government. The arrangement offers stability, but Edward's Norman advisers—particularly Robert of Jumièges—regard the family's power as an obstacle…
#2 – The Promises of a King
After Earl Godwin's death, Harold succeeds to Wessex and becomes Edward the Confessor's most powerful secular adviser. The Godwin family controls much of England, but the absence of a direct royal heir makes every diplomatic decision part of a future succession struggle. Harold negotiates with Welsh…
#3 – The Fate of a King
Edward the Confessor dies in January 1066 and Harold Godwinson accepts the English crown. His succession is immediately challenged by William of Normandy and by Harald Hardrada, whose northern invasion is supported by Harold's exiled brother Tostig. Harold must defend two ends of the kingdom within…