Topic: Research News
New research suggests that King Harold's support for the wrong pope may have led to his defeat in 1066. Historians found a lost papal letter that points to a major political struggle in Rome, which may have influenced the fate of England.
A new study from the University of East Anglia has changed how historians understand the events of 1066 and the Norman Conquest. The research suggests that King Harold's decision to support one side of a papal dispute may have weakened his position before the Battle of Hastings.
The evidence comes from a lost papal letter preserved in the Vatican archives. The letter, written by Pope Alexander II after William of Normandy took the English throne, reflects on England's relationship with the papacy before the Norman Conquest. One passage criticizes Harold for leading the English away from
Implications
New research suggests that King Harold's support for the wrong pope may have led to his defeat in 1066. Historians found a lost papal letter that points to a major political struggle in Rome, which may have influenced the fate of England.
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