King Harold was the last Saxon king of England. He was crowned in January 1066 and was killed in the Battle of Hastings in October 1066.

Here is how he became king:

For nearly 700 years, the Anglo-Saxons (Saxons) had ruled all or most of England. But each king had to fight to keep control, for there were many people waiting to replace him. Some were Anglo-Saxon nobles, while others were rulers of other countries.

England was an attractive place to rule. It had minerals and crops that could be traded. And it gave the ruler power.

But who would rule was all very complicated. Since the 9th century Vikings had controlled parts of the country, and relatives of the Viking invaders still lived in Norway, Denmark – and Normandy.

If all went well, kings would pass on the crown to their sons. But if a king should die without an heir, then trouble was certain. Our story starts with King Edward (the Confessor), who was childless. He spoke French, he had lived in Normandy and was distantly related to the Vikings. But the Saxons, who were now in full control of England, wanted to have a Saxon king. By 1066 it was clear that Edward would soon die. So other people began making preparations.

Rumour has is that Edward promised the throne to Harold Godwinson. Harold is a Saxon and head of the most powerful family in the country, but he is not related to Edward, so this could lead to complications.

When Edward died, The Witenagemot (Parliament) met under the leadership of Lord Harold Godwinson, and they had unanimously elected Lord Godwinson to be the next king.

It would, of course, be disputed by two others as you can find out in the video and book below.