Who were the three people that were promised the throne by King Edward?
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But didn't Harold become King after King Edward had died??
To find out who the three people were that were promised the throne by King Edward, we need to gather information about historical events. King Edward, also known as Edward the Confessor, was the King of England from 1042 until his death in 1066.
During his reign, King Edward faced a complex succession crisis. He had no children and had not designated a clear heir to the throne. This led to several claimants and contenders vying for the royal title after his passing.
To determine the names of the three individuals promised the throne, we can explore the historical sources and accounts of the time. Let's look at the most prominent candidates:
1. Harold Godwinson: Harold Godwinson was a powerful Anglo-Saxon nobleman and one of King Edward's closest advisors. According to many historical accounts, King Edward supposedly promised the throne to Harold on his deathbed. Following Edward's death in January 1066, Harold was crowned as King Harold II of England. However, his reign was short-lived as he was defeated and killed in the Battle of Hastings later that same year.
2. William, Duke of Normandy: William, also known as William the Conqueror, was the Duke of Normandy and a distant relative of King Edward the Confessor. According to the Norman accounts, King Edward had allegedly promised the English throne to William during a visit by Harold Godwinson to Normandy in 1064. After Harold's coronation, William invaded England, leading to the Battle of Hastings, where he defeated and killed Harold, establishing himself as William I, King of England.
3. Edgar Ætheling: Edgar Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Exile, was the maternal great-nephew of King Edward the Confessor. Although the specifics of a direct promise are unclear, Edgar was considered a legitimate claimant to the English throne due to his bloodline. After Harold's death, Edgar was briefly declared King of England in 1066, but his reign was ineffective and short-lived amidst the chaos of the Norman invasion.
In summary, the three people who were prominent contenders for the throne of England and were connected to alleged promises by King Edward were Harold Godwinson, William of Normandy, and Edgar Ætheling.