Searching for the Last Anglo-Saxon King

Harold Godwinson occupied his place in the chronicles for more than twenty years afterbursting onto the political sphere when he was barely out of his teens. His role inEnglish history has always been overshadowed by his failure to defend his crown andcountry against the might of William the Conqueror and his invaders. His demise at thehands of a Franco-Norman hit squad wrought the death knell of Anglo-Saxon rule.Reigning for just ten months, Harold's accomplishments as dux Anglorum, and later kingof England, were undermined by the Norman propaganda that was waged against hismemory, long after his grisly end in 1066. But just who was this man, who some historians recall as one of England's greatestrulers? What were his origins? Is there any truth that he could trace his ancestry to theHouse of Wessex, and did he really usurp the throne from Duke William, the Bastard ofNormandy? In this re-examining of this great historical figure of the eleventh century,we glean new theories and ideas not only about Harold's life, but also questionshistorians have pondered upon for years. Did Edward really offer the throne to William?And how much of William's claim was truth or fiction? Paula Lofting presents a thoughtful and careful critique of the previous research.Examining his life through a telescopic view of the primary sources, she offers thereader a more accurate evaluation of who he was, how he died, and what happened tohis remains after his death on a field near Hastings on October 1066.