Death of Edward Confessor
Edward the Confessor dies without a direct heir and the English succession becomes contested
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1066 in England
Explore 260 historical events and records for England in 1066.
Historical records for England in 1066
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 260 unique records.
260Unique records
1 of 7Page
25Named events on this page
9Named people on this page
18Places on this page
January
Death of Edward the Confessor
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the death and funeral of Edward the Confessor.
Death of Edward the Confessor
Death of Edward the Confessor
Death of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor dies, opening the succession crisis in which William asserts his claim to the English throne.
Death of Harold II
Death of Edward, he nominates Harold his successor on his deathbed
Deathbed Designation
Edward the Confessor entrusts the kingdom to Harold on his deathbed, strengthening Harold's immediate claim to the throne.
Coronation
Harold Godwinson is crowned king after the death of Edward the Confessor
Coronation
Ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064. Crowned King of England, on the same day Halleys comet is seen, an ominous portent
Coronation
Harold ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064
Coronation
Harold ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064
Coronation of Harold II
Harold Godwinson is crowned king after the death of Edward the Confessor
Coronation of Harold II
The embroidery depicts Harold receiving the English crown after Edward's death.
Coronation of Harold II
Ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064. Crowned King of England, on the same day Halleys comet is seen, an ominous portent
Coronation of Harold II
Harold ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064
Coronation of William I the Conqueror
Harold ignores the oath made to William Duke of Normandy in 1064
Harold Crowned King
Harold Godwinson is crowned king, and William treats the accession as a rejection of his claimed right to succeed Edward.
Royal Authority Assumed
Harold assumes royal authority after Edward's death and the rapid decision of the English political leadership.
Succession
Succeeds as King of England. Harold Godwinson is chosen by the Witan to succeed Edward the Confessor
Succession
The Witanagemot elects Harold Godwinson, the man best placed to defend the country against the competing foreign claimants, to succeed Edward
April
Halley's Comet
The Bayeux Tapestry shows a comet interpreted by onlookers as a threatening omen for Harold's reign.
May
Defeat of Tostig's Raiders
Edwin helps defeat Tostig's attempted invasion of eastern England before the larger Norwegian threat develops.
Flemish Support Secured
Tostig obtains ships and assistance in Flanders before launching attacks against the kingdom ruled by his brother Harold.
Invasion of England
Assembles forces "larger than any king had assembled before in this country"
Invasion of England
Baldwin V provided Tostig with a fleet and he landed in the Isle of Wight in May 1066, where he collected money and provisions
Invasion of England
Raids the coast as far as Sandwich but is forced to retreat when King Harold called out land and naval forces
Isle of Wight Foraging
Tostig's force takes money and provisions on the Isle of Wight during the opening phase of his 1066 campaign.
Mobilisation
Harold II calls out land and sea forces to guard the south coast against William
Response to Tostig's Raids
Harold's government responds to Tostig's coastal attacks while Edwin of Mercia defeats the exiled earl's invasion.
Sandwich Coastal Raid
Tostig raids the English coast near Sandwich before Harold's mobilisation forces his ships away.
Southern Coast Watch
Harold maintains forces along the southern coast while expecting a possible invasion from Normandy.
June
Exile of Tostig
The Earls Edwin and Morcar defeat Tostig decisively, deserted by his men, he fled to his sworn brother, King Malcolm III of Scotland
Invasion of England
The Earls Edwin and Morcar defeat Tostig decisively, deserted by his men, he fled to his sworn brother, King Malcolm III of Scotland. Moves north and after an unsuccessful attempt to get his brother Gyrth to join him, raids Norfolk and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Reverse
Tostig's raiding force is defeated by local opposition in Lincolnshire and continues north seeking stronger allies.
August
Channel Defence Maintained
Harold keeps land and naval forces ready against William while the Norman fleet remains delayed across the Channel.
Fleet Assembly at Dives
William gathers ships and troops at Dives while waiting for conditions suitable for crossing the Channel.
Invasion of England
Sets sail for St Valery-sur-Somme but loses some ships blown ashore by a westerly wind. Moves his fleet from Dives to St Valery at the mouth of the River Somme
Invasion of England
Moves his fleet from Dives to St Valery at the mouth of the River Somme
September
Invasion of England
Forced to disband his army & order his fleet back to London
Battle
Tostig fights beside Harald Hardrada against the northern earls at Fulford
Battle of Fulford
Hadraada & Tostig defeat Edwin & Morcar then capture York
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.