Harald
Arctic noon dusk, on the beach of a calm fjord, two men recite poetry, call and refrain, over the still waters and beneath the looming mountains. I’ve come to Halogaland to fish for cod, to harvest the stickfish and the saltfish, to make skis and snow-shoes, to fashion mink cloaks and wollen sweaters, to fuck the local women and to watch the northern lights. Beside the mountain, beneath the sunset, under oars, a dark ship enters the fjord. The poetry ends and I wonder who it could be, on that boat, coming for me.
Wikipedia
Tostig appears to have governed in Northumbria with some difficulty. He was never popular with the Northumbrian ruling class, a mix of Danish invaders and Anglo-Saxon survivors of the last Norse invasion. Tostig was said to have been heavy-handed with those who resisted his rule, including murdering several members of leading Northumbrian families. In late 1063 or early 1064, Tostig had Gamal son of Orm and Ulf son of Dolfin assassinated when Gamal visited him under safe conduct. The Vita Edwardi, otherwise sympathetic to Tostig, states that he had “repressed [the Northumbrians] with the heavy yoke of his rule”.
Anglo Saxon Chronicle
This was done on the mass-day of St. Bartholomew. Soon after this all the thanes in Yorkshire and in Northumberland gathered themselves together at York, and outlawed their Earl Tosty; slaying all the men of his clan that they could reach, both Danish and English; and took all his weapons in York, with gold and silver, and all his money that they could anywhere there find.
Wikipedia
Harold Godwinson persuaded King Edward the Confessor to agree to the demands of the rebels. Tostig was outlawed a short time later, possibly early in November, because he refused to accept his deposition as commanded by Edward. This led to the fatal confrontation and enmity between the two Godwinsons. At a meeting of the king and his council, Tostig publicly accused Harold of fomenting the rebellion. Harold was keen to unify England in the face of the grave threat from William of Normandy, who had openly declared his intention to take the English throne. It was likely that Harold had exiled his brother to ensure peace and loyalty in the north. Tostig, however, remained unconvinced and plotted vengeance.
Tostig took ship with his family and some loyal thegns and took refuge with his brother-in-law, Baldwin V, Count of Flanders. He even travelled to Normandy and attempted to form an alliance with William, who was related to his wife. Baldwin provided him with a fleet and he landed in the Isle of Wight in May 1066, where he collected money and provisions. He raided the coast as far as Sandwich but was forced to retreat when King Harold called out land and naval forces. He moved north and after an unsuccessful attempt to get his brother Gyrth to join him, he raided Norfolk and Lincolnshire. The Earls Edwin and Morcar defeated him decisively. Deserted by his men, he fled to his sworn brother, King Malcolm III of Scotland. Tostig spent the summer of 1066 in Scotland.
He made contact with King Harald III Hardrada of Norway and persuaded him to invade England. One of the sagas claims that he sailed for Norway, and greatly impressed the Norwegian king and his court, managing to sway a decidedly unenthusiastic Hardrada, who had just concluded a long and inconclusive war with Denmark, into raising a levy to take the throne of England.
Harald
William of Normandy passes. Baldwin of Flanders passes, although he gives Tostig a few ships to make him go away. Malcom of Scotland passes. Harald of Norway, on the other hand, knows a good thing when he sees it.
Heimskringla
Jarl Tósti changed direction in his travel, and turned up in Norway and went to see King Haraldr. He was in the Vík. And when they meet, the jarl reveals his errand to the king, telling him all about his travels since he left England and asking the king to give him support in getting back his realm in England. The king’s reply is this, that Norwegians would not be keen to travel to England and lay it waste and have an English ruler over them.
“People say that those English are not very reliable.”
Harald
His own brother Harold hated him so much that Harold kicked Tostig out of Essex and sent Tostig to York. The people in York hated Tostig so much they killed all Tostig’s housecarls and plundered all his gold. When their father died Harold disowned Tostig and kicked him out of Northumberland. Did I mention that Tostig has an incredibly punchable face?
Heimskringla
The jarl replies: “If you will not tell me, then I will tell you. King Magnús won Denmark because the leading men of that land helped him, and you did not get it because all the people of the country stood against you. King Magnús did not fight to conquer England because the people of the country wanted to have Eatvarðr as king. If you want to gain England, then I can bring it about that the majority of the leaders in England will be your friends and supporters. I lack nothing more in comparison with my brother Harold than just the name of king. Everyone knows that no such fighting man has been born in Northern Lands as you, and I find it surprising that you have been fighting for fifteen winters to win Denmark, but you will not take England, which now lies open to you.”
Harald
I knew that Tostig was full of shit. I decided to do it anyway. I was fifty years old – how could I resist the chance for one more great adventure before I passed the kingdom down to my sons and retired to Halogaland to drink Rhenish wine and watch the northern lights.
It could work. William would be invading from the south, I would be invading from the north, the English forces loyalty would be split between Harold, Tostig, and their home villages. It worked in Sicily. It worked for Cnut. Why couldn’t it work for me?
Heimskringla
King Haraldr considered carefully what the jarl was saying, and realised that much of what he said was true, and on the other hand he began to get keen to have the kingdom. After this the king and the jarl spoke together long and often. They settled on this plan, that they should in the summer go to England and conquer the country. King Haraldr sent word all over Norway and called out troops for an expedition, a half levy. This now became widely known. There were many guesses about where the expedition would be going. Some said, reckoning up King Haraldr’s achievements, that nothing would be impossible for him, while some said that England would be difficult to defeat, the population there being enormous.
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