Searching for the Last Anglo-Saxon King: Harold Godwinson, England's Golden Warrior

(Hardback)

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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 WilliamAnd 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. AUTHOR: Paula Lofting is the author of an eleventh-century saga, Sons of the Wolf, and is workingon book three in the series. She has also written articles for magazines like HistoricalTimes and contributed to Iain Dale's recent Kings and Queens with an essay on EdmundIronside. Lofting's love for Anglo-Saxon/Viking/Norman re-enactment with RegiaAnglorum is a great tool for her writing. She is also a psychiatric nursewith nineteenyears' experience and enjoys spending time with her family, three grown-up childrenand two grandchildren. 40 b/w illustrations

Author Bio

Paula Lofting is the author of an eleventh-century saga, Sons of the Wolf, and is workingon book three in the series. She has also written articles for magazines like HistoricalTimes and contributed to Iain Dale's recent Kings and Queens with an essay on EdmundIronside. Lofting's love for Anglo-Saxon/Viking/Norman re-enactment with RegiaAnglorum is a great tool for her writing. She is also a psychiatric nursewith nineteenyears' experience and enjoys spending time with her family, three grown-up childrenand two grandchildren. This is Lofting's first foray into the realms of historical non-fiction, and she hopes it will notbe her last. She also has been commissioned to write a biography on Edmund Ironsidewith Pen & Sword which is currently in progress.