Reign of King Harald Harefoot

Historical Context Essay

Timothy Bolton (University of Oslo)

Ed. by Hugh Magennis, Queen's University Belfast
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.01: English Writing and Culture: Old English, 500-1066.
Vol. editors: Richard William Dance (University of Cambridge), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast)

Domains

Changes of government, elections and reigns

Dates

Date of occurrence 1035-1040

Places

England (Location)

Harald, probably the second son of King Cnut and his first wife, Ælfgifu of Northampton, held the English throne after the death of his father in 1035 and until his own (apparently sudden) death in 1040.

His birth can probably be dated to between that liaison (c. 1013-14?) and Cnut's subsequent marriage to Emma in 1017 (presumably following the repudiation of his first wife). His youth coincided with the years of supremacy of his father's second wife and her son, Harthacnut, and he spent this time in obscurity either in England or in Scandinavia.

He re-emerges in the historical record after the death of his father in 1035, and it is clear that he entered into a struggle with the allies of his half-brother …

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597 words

Citation: Bolton, Timothy. "Reign of King Harald Harefoot". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 May 2006 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1667, accessed 22 November 2024.]

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Reign of King Harald Harefoot

Domains

Dates

Places

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