Poetry from the King's Sagas Volume I

 Vol. 1. Poetry from the King's Sagas I:   From Mythical Times to c 1035 (2012)

https://skaldic.org/skaldic/m.php?p=vol&i=1

edited by Diana Whaley

 see also  - Contents, volume I
http://www.gbv.de/dms/ub-kiel/737841176.pdf

 

Geoffrey of Monmouth’s British History

Geoffrey of Monmouth’s British History

Old English chronicles, edited by John Allen Giles
From Gile’s preface
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater
 
CHAP.  V.-GEOFFREY  OF  MONMOUTH.

"GEOFFREY,  surnamed  of  Monmouth,  is  celebrated  in  English  literature  as  the  author,  or  at  least  the  translator,  of  Historia  Britonum,  a  work  from  which  nearly  all  our  great  vernacular poets  have  drawn  the  materials  for  some  of  their  noblest  works  of  fiction  and  characters  of  romance.  He  lived  in  the  early  part  of  the  twelfth  century,  and  in  the  year  1152  was  raised  to  the  bishopric  of  St.  Asaph.

The  first  of  his  writings,  in  point  of  time,  was  a  Latin  translation  of  the  Prophecies  of  Merlin,  which  he  undertook  at  the  request  of  Alexander  bishop  of  Lincoln.  His  next  work  was  that  on  which  his  fame  principally  rests,  the  Historia Britonum,  dedicated  to  Robert,  duke  of  Gloucester,  who  died  in  1147.  Into  this  second  work  he  inserted  the  Latin  translation  above-mentioned,  which  now  appears  as  the  seventh  book  of  Historia  Britonum.  A  third  composition has  also  been  ascribed  to  Geoffrey,  entitled  Vita  Merlini,  in  Latin  hexameter  verse  :  but  the  internal  evidence  which  it  affords,  plainly  proves  that  it  is  the  work  of  a  different  author.  
Although  the  list  of  our  Chroniclers  may  be  considered  as  complete,  without  the  addition  of  this  work,  yet  we  have  thought  it  worthy  of  a  place  in  our  series  for  many  reasons.  It  is  not  for  historical  accuracy  that  the  book  before  us  is  valuable  ;  for  the  great  mass  of  scholars  have  come  to  the  decided  conviction  that  it  is  full  of  fables.  But  it  is  the  romantic  character  which  pervades  the  narrative,  together  with  its  acknowledged  antiquity,  which  make  it  desirable  that  the  book  should  not  sink  into  oblivion.  Those  who  desire  to  possess  it  as  a  venerable  relic  of  an  early  age,  will  now  have  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their  wish  ;  whilst  others,  who  despise  it  as  valueless,  in  their  researches  after  historic  truth,  may,  nevertheless,  find  some  little  pleasure  in  the  tales  of  imagination  which  it  contains.

The  value  of  this  work  is  best  evinced  by  the  attention  which  was  paid  to  it  for  many  centuries  ;  Henry  of  Huntingdon made  an  abstract  of  it,  which  he  subjoined  as  an  appendix  to  his  history:  and  Alfred  of  Beverley,  a  later  writer,  in  his  abridgment  of  this  work  which  still  exists,  has  omitted  Geoffrey's  name,  though  he  calls  the  author  of  the  original,  Britannicus. "

The text is from page 89 to page 292. It covers the period from the birth of Britain before the Trojan war to the reign of Cadwallader in AD 668.
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/86/mode/2up?view=theater

Asser's Life of Alfred

Annals of the Reign of Alfred the Great from AD 849 to AD 887 by Asser of Saint David’s.

Old English chronicles, edited by John Allen Giles
From Gile’s preface
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater


CHAP.  II.— ASSER’S  LIFE  OF  ALFRED.

"This  work  is  ascribed,  on  its  own  internal  authority,  to  Asser,  who  is  said  to  have  been  bishop  of  St.  David's,  of  Sherborne  or  of  Exeter,  in  the  time  of  king  Alfred.  Though  most  of  the  public  events  recorded  in  this  book  are  to  be  found  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  yet  for  many  interesting  circumstances  in  the  life  of  our  great  Saxon  king  we  are  indebted  to  this  biography  alone. …
 As  the  work  has  been  edited  by  Petrie,  so  has  it  been  here  translated,  and  the  reader,  taking  it  upon  its  own  merits,  will  find  therein  much  of  interest  about  our  glorious  king,  concerning  whom  he  will  lament  with  me  that  all  we  know  is  so  little,  so  unsatisfying. "

The text is from page 42 to page 86.
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/42/mode/2up?view=theater

Ethelwerd's Chronicle

Old English Chronicles, Edited by John Allen Giles

From Gile’s preface
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater

CHAP.  I.— ETHELWERD'S  CHRONICLE.

"THE  short  chronicle,  which  passes  under  the  name  of  Ethelwerd,  contains  few  facts  which  are  not  found  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle  its  precursor.  Of  the  author  we  know  no  more  than  he  has  told  us  in  his  work.  Malmesbury  calls  him  'noble  and  magnificent'  with  reference  to  his  rank  ;  for  he  was  descended  from  king  Alfred  :  but  he  forgets  his  peculiar praise — that  of  being  the  only  Latin  historian  for  two  centuries  ;  though,  like  Xenophon,  Caesar,  and  Alfred,  he  wielded  the  sword  as  much  as  the  pen.

Ethelwerd  dedicated  his  work  to,  and  indeed  wrote  it  for  the  use  of  his  relation  Matilda,  daughter  of  Otho  the  Great,  emperor  of  Germany,  by  his  first  empress  Edgitha  or  Editha ;  who  is  mentioned  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  A.D.  925,  though  not  by  name,  as  given  to  Otho  by  her  brother,  king  Athelstan.  Ethelwerd  adds,  in  his  epistle  to  Matilda,  that  Athelstan  sent  two  sisters,  in  order  that  the  emperor  might  take  bis  choice  ;  and  that  he  preferred  the  mother  of  Matilda.

The  chronology  of  Ethelwerd  is  occasionally  a  year  or  two  at  variance  with  other  authorities.  The  reader  will  be guided  in  reckoning  the  dates,  not  by  the  heading  of  each  paragraph,  A.D.  891,  975,  &c.,  but  by  the  actual  words  of  the  author  inserted  in  the  body  of  the  text.

I  have  translated  this  short  chronicle  from  the  original  text  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and  as  closely  as  could  be  to  the  author's  text ;  but  I  am  by  no  means  certain  of  having  always  succeeded  in  hitting  on  his  true  meaning,  for  such  is  the  extraordinary barbarism  of  the  style,  that  I  believe  many  an ancient  Latin  classic,  if  he  could  rise  from  his  grave,  would  attempt  in  vain  to  interpret  it. "

The text begins on page 19: It covers the period from AD 430 to AD 960
https://archive.org/details/oldenglishchroni00gileuoft/page/n19/mode/2up?view=theater

Asta’s Sons : Olaf and Haraldr

Haraldr Sigurdsson, aka Hardrada, grew up in the shadow of his older half brother Olaf Haraldsson. Olaf is also known as St Olaf because he was canonised a year after his death, and he is known as Olaf II because he was also king of Norway. It must not have been easy for Haraldr to have been following in the footsteps of a brother who was both a saint and a king. Both brothers were the sons of Åsta Gudbrandsdatter, and both their fathers claimed descent from king Harald Fairhair through different lines.  According to King Olaf Trygvason’s Saga, when Asta was pregnant with Olaf, her husband, Harald Grenske, decided it was time to try and trade up his wife. The King of Sweden, Olaf the Victorious, had died and his widow, Sigrid, was interviewing for replacement husbands. When Harold proposed to Sigrid she refused him saying that he was already well married to Asta. Olaf’s saga tells us that ‘Sigrid was a woman of the greatest understanding, and clever in many things.’
But Haradr was not satisfied with her response and a short time later he showed up at her house to press his suit although many people had persuaded him otherwise. Another king from Russia had arrived at the same time with the same intent. Sigrid lodged them together in an old hall furnished with old furniture and she plied them with strong drink until they and their guards fell into a drunken stupor. Then she torched the hall and burned them alive within it. “Then Queen Sigrid ordered an attack on them in the night, both with fire and sword. The house was burnt, with all who were in it and those who slipped out were put to the sword. Sigrid said that she would make these small kings tired of coming to court her. She was afterwards called Sigrid the Haughty (Storrada).’
After also refusing King Olaf Trygvasson, Sigrid went on to marry King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, who conquered and ruled England for several months in 1013-14. She was step-mother to Sweyn’s son, King Canute, who ruled England after him from 1016 to 1035. Because Sigrid was married to Sweyn during his reign of England she was technically Queen of England for this period, but we hear little of this in the history books.
Needless to say when Asta heard the news of her husband’s death she was not impressed and she returned home to her father’s house where she gave birth to Olaf Haraldsson. Asta then married Sigurd Syr who claimed descent from King Harald Fairhair and Ragnar Lodbrok. All three were said to be tall. Harald Fairhair had many sons, but his son Sigurd Rise was so tall he was known as Sigurd Giant and as he was the grandfather of Sigurd Syr, it is not surprising that Haraldr Sigurdsson was renowned for his height. Haraldr’s saga says he was five ells tall. A viking ell was approximately eighteen inches, making Haraldr around seven foot six.
Sigurd was the king of Vik and he was known as Syr because he kept pigs. Haraldr Hardrada was very sensitive about this and there are accounts of his taking revenge against those who baited him about it. “Sigurd his [Olaf’s] stepfather was a careful householder, who kept his people closely to their work, and often went about himself to inspect his corn-rigs and meadowland, the cattle, and also the smith-work, or whatsoever his people had on hand to do.”
At the age of twelve Olaf Haraldsson was sent on his viking gap years with his foster father Hrane the Far Travelled. He fought in England in the conflict between King Ethelred and King Sweyn Forkbeard. When Sweyn’s son, Canute, raised his invasion force in 1015-16 he emptied the north of fighting men. With them came Erik Hakonsson who had been ruling Norway since the fall of Olaf Trygvasson in 1000. Hearing that Erik had left the north taking his forces with him, Olaf Haroldsson saw his opportunity and legged it back to Norway. Once there he did what any returning viking son would do, he went to see his mother and  declared his intention to replace Erik and become King of Norway. 

 

He took advice from Sigurd, Hrane and Asta. She said “For my part, my son, I am rejoiced at thy arrival, but much more at thy advancing thy honour. I will spare nothing for that purpose that stands in my power, although it be but little help that can be expected from me. But if a choice could be made, I would rather that thou shouldst be the supreme king of Norway, even if thou shouldst not sit longer in thy kingdom than Olaf Trygvason did, than that thou shouldst not be a greater king than Sigurd Syr is, and die the death of old age.”

Around 1018 when Haraldr Hardrada was three years old, Olaf visited his mother Asta and her new sons Halfdan, Guthorm and Haraldr. A bard’s tale about Olaf and Haraldr predicts Haraldr’s kingship.  “Then Asta brought her youngest son, called Harald, who was three years old, to him. The king [Olaf] made a wry face at him also; but he looked the king in the face without regarding it. The king took the boy by the hair, and plucked it; but the boy seized the king's whiskers, and gave them a tug. "Then," said the king, "thou wilt be revengeful, my friend, some day.” In the second part of the story, Olaf finds Haradr sailing toy ships. ‘Harald was busy with chips of wood, sailing them, in his sport along the edge. The king asked him what these were; and he answered, these were his ships of war. The king laughed, and said, "The time may come, friend, when thou wilt command ships.”’  In the final part of the story Harald’s brothers Halfdan and Guthorm were asked what they would most like to have. Halfdan replied that he wanted ten farm’s worth of corn, and Guthorm that he wanted enough cows to encircle the lake. But Haraldr replied that he wanted enough personal housecarls, i.e. men at arms, to eat Guthorm’s cows in a single sitting. ‘The king laughed, and said to Asta, "Here, mother, thou art bringing up a king.”
Olaf was known as Olaf the Thick, not because he was stupid, but because he was stocky and stout. He apparently did not inherit the tall gene from Harold Fairhair. His saga describes him in the first two chapters.
“Olaf came early to manhood, was handsome in countenance, middle-sized in growth, and was even when very young of good understanding and ready speech.”
‘When Olaf Haraldson grew up he was not tall, but middle-sized in height, although very thick, and of good strength. He had light brown hair, and a broad face, which was white and red. He had particularly fine eyes, which were beautiful and piercing, so that one was afraid to look him in the face when he was angry. Olaf was very expert in all bodily exercises, understood well to handle his bow, and was distinguished particularly in throwing his spear by hand: he was a great swimmer, and very handy, and very exact and knowing in all kinds of smithwork, whether he himself or others made the thing. He was distinct and acute in conversation, and was soon perfect in understanding and strength. He was beloved by his friends and acquaintances, eager in his amusements, and one who always liked to be the first, as it was suitable he should be from his birth and dignity.’
Olaf commenced a campaign of Christian conversion at swordpoint, murdering and torturing the pagan population as he conquered the regions of Norway. He was politically inept and as he made advances across Norway in gaining territory and followers, Canute’s representatives followed, using the same espionage strategies that his father Sweyn Forkbeard had used on Ethelred’s nobles to buy them back.
Olaf’s attempts to negotiate with Sweden over territory and the hand of the King’s daughter, Ingegerd, were unsuccessful. Ingegerd was married off to the the ruler of Russia, Yaroslav, and Olaf was forced to accept her sister Astrid instead. Olaf was an adulterer who serially raped his wife Astrid’s serving girl until she eventually produced Olaf’s son and heir, the illegitimate Magnus the Good.
By 1029, Olaf was forced to retreat from Norway, to the court of his sister-in-law, Ingegerd and her husband Yaroslav of Russia. “and without stopping went on to Russia to King Jarisleif and his queen Ingegerd; but his own queen Astrid, and their daughter Ulfhild, remained behind in Svithjod [Sweden], and the king took his son Magnus eastward with him.” Olaf stayed in Russia for a while but following a dream from God he decided to return and attempt to retake Norway.
He was met on his return to Sweden by his loyal followers. Most notable was his half-brother Haraldr, now fifteen, with a force of 600 men. “Now when it was reported in Norway that King Olaf was come from the East to Svithjod, his friends gathered together to give him aid. The most distinguished man in this flock was Harald Sigurdson, a brother of King Olaf, who then was fifteen years of age, very stout, and manly of growth as if he were full-grown. Many other brave men were there also; and there were in all 600 men when they proceeded from the uplands, and went eastward with their force through Eid forest to Vermaland. From thence they went eastward through the forests to Svithjod and made inquiry about King Olaf's proceedings.”
Eventually there was battle for control of Norway at a place named Stiklestad. Prior to the battle, Olaf suggested that Haraldr was too young and should not fight.
 "It appears to me advisable," says the king, "that Harald my brother should not be in the battle, for he is still in the years of childhood only."
Harald replies, "Certainly I shall be in the battle, for I am not so weak that I cannot handle the sword; and as to that, I have a notion of tying the sword-handle to my hand. None is more willing than I am to give the bondes a blow; so I shall go with my comrades."
Haraldr was allowed to fight, but the battle did not go well for Olaf and he was killed. "King Olaf fell on Wednesday, the 29th of July (A.D. 1030)."

Haraldr was injured and forced to retreat in exile to Russia.
 “Harald Sigurdson was severely wounded; but Ragnvald Brusason brought him to a bonde's the night after the battle, and the bonde took in Harald, and healed his wound in secret, and afterwards gave him his son to attend him. They went secretly over the mountains, and through the waste forests, and came out in Jamtaland. Harald Sigurdson was fifteen years old when King Olaf fell. In Jamtaland Harald found Ragnvald Brusason; and they went both east to King Jarisleif in Russia, as is related in the Saga of Harald Sigurdson.”
 

Haraldr Sigurdsson is described in his obituary at the end of his saga.
 “It was a common observation that King Harald distinguished himself above all other men by wisdom and resources of mind; whether he had to take a resolution suddenly for himself and others, or after long deliberation. He was, also, above all other men, bold, brave, and lucky, until his dying day, as above related; and bravery is half victory.
King Harald was a handsome man, of noble appearance; his hair and beard yellow. He had a short beard, and long mustaches. The one eyebrow was somewhat higher than the other. He had large hands and feet; but these were well made. His height was five ells.
He was stern and severe to his enemies, and avenged cruelly all opposition or misdeed.  King Harald was most greedy of power, and of all distinction and honour. He was bountiful to the friends who suited him. King Harald never fled from battle, but often tried cunning ways to escape when he had to do with great superiority of forces. All the men who followed King Harald in battle or skirmish said that when he stood in great danger, or anything came suddenly upon him, he always took that course which all afterwards saw gave the best hope of a fortunate issue.”
 Haraldr remained in Russia under the tutelage of Yaroslav for three or four years before he travelled south and ended up serving in the Emperor’s court in Constantinople.

All 265 chapters of Olaf Haraldsson’s Saga can be found on Project Gutenberg.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/598/598-h/598-h.htm#link2H_4_0233\

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Edward’s Saga

The Saga of Edward the Confessor was featured on this blog in early December last year with a link to Dasent’s 1894 english translation on the sacred texts website. See
https://saga1066.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-saga-of-edward-confessor.html

The saga’s other title is Saga Játvarðar konungs hins helga or the Játvarðar Saga in short.  According to wiki it was compiled in the 14th century in Iceland. There’s a copy on Internet Archive of an 1852 translation.
Saga Játvarðar konúngs hins helga
https://archive.org/details/SagaJatvardarkon000200849v0JatvReyk/page/n3/mode/2up

The saga appears at the end of the Flateyjarbok manuscript which was written around 1387 to 1394. “Flateyjarbók is the largest medieval Icelandic manuscript, comprising 225 written and illustrated vellum leaves. It contains mostly sagas of the Norse kings” [wiki]  See the Vigfússon and Unger 1860 edition here
Flateyjarbok
https://archive.org/details/flateyjarbokens00unkngoog/page/462/mode/2up?view=theater

Edward’s Saga makes use of post-conquest sources, and has absorbed the Norman propaganda supporting William’s claim. The further from the original events, the greater distortion of the accounts by the post-conquest sources. Over three hundred years the story is transformed and crucial facts are missing or distorted.

In Chapter six the saga relates that Edward made William his heir following the death of Godwin.

6. King Edward made up his mind after that [the death of Godwin] that he thought duke William the bastard was next to the kingdom in England after him, both for this cause that he was come from the kings of the English, and because of the near kinship which was between them.  

Not only does it include a summary of the story of Harold’s shipwreck and oath, it precedes it with an oath made by the entire witan to support his appointment of William. These oaths do not appear in the English records.

Once on a time when Edward had a conference with all the greatest chiefs, he made all take an oath to him;  first the sons of Godwin, and all the rest after them, that they would take no king after him but William the bastard. But it was a little after that Harold Godwin's son fared on some business of his own south over the sea, and could not get back for the sake of foul winds. Then he came to visit duke William, and stayed with him awhile. Then he took an oath to William also that he would not hold the realm against him when they lost king Edward.  It is also some men's story that then he betrothed a daughter of the duke, and broke himself those bonds.

The Saga claims that Edward repeated this nomination of William as heir during his final illness. It does not refer to William’s absence or explain why William was not summoned to Edward’s bedside.

When king Edward had ruled England three and twenty years he was seated in London.  Then he took sickness at Yule, and calls to him many chiefs, and again gave it out that William was to be king after him in England.

Harold is accused of pretending that Edward gave him the throne when Edward was too ill to speak. This is another version of the deathbed throne grab as described by Wace.

But when the sickness began to press him so that he had little voice left, men say that Harold stooped over him and called men to witness afterwards that the king had given him the kingdom after him in England.  King Edward died a little after and was buried in London in Paul's church. He shone by miracles straightway after his death as he did before, and lay in earth till saint Thomas the archbishop translated him and let them lay him in a worthy shrine.

In Chapter seven, Harold’s appointment by the Witan is explained. The nobility wanted an Englishman as king not someone ‘outlandish’ i.e someone from outside the land. So according to this saga, the English twice appointed the Norman Duke William on Edward’s orders, but at the last minute decided that Harold was more suited because he was English.

7.   For that Harold, Godwin's son, was of great family in England, and a very proper man in himself, but the rulers of the land thought it hard to come under the rule of outlandish lords, then they took Harold to be king, and he was consecrated under the crown as the custom was of English chiefs.  

The saga has limited information about the relationship between Harold and his brother Tostig. It repeats the error that Tostig was the elder and it has no knowledge of his expulsion from England at the end of 1065, prior to Edward’s illness. It states that Tostig was still in England at the time of the coronation and that he challenged Harold for posession of the throne. It does not mention his exile to Flanders.

In this design his brother Tosti had no share, but he was older, and so he thought himself nearer to the kingdom.  Then he went to meet his brother Harold and claimed to be even with him, but when Harold said "nay" to that, then he fared out of the land and fled to Denmark to find king Sweyn, Wolf's son, his kinsman, and bade him fare to England and win the land under his rule "as the Dane kings of old had done."  But Sweyn was not ready to do that.  

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Saga of Haraldr Hardrada.

 The Saga of Haraldr Hardrada was contained in the manuscript Heimskringla which was written in Iceland in c 1230. Only one page of the original manuscript survives, the rest was lost in a fire in 1728.
“Heimskringla is a collection of sagas about Swedish and Norwegian kings, beginning with the saga of the legendary Swedish dynasty of the Ynglings, followed by accounts of historical Norwegian rulers from Harald Fairhair of the 9th century up to the death of the pretender Eystein Meyla in 1177. [wiki]”
Following an error by Edward Freeman in his history of the Norman Conquest, the saga of Haraldr Hardrada is often misnamed ‘Heimskringla’ in popular history books.

Note that Wace’s account (above) was written approximately 100 years after 1066, this account was written some 60 years after Wace. The saga is not a direct replica of Wace’s account but follows its own agenda.

SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/598/598-h/598-h.htm#link2H_4_0539

Chapter 77 of the saga describes King Edward and his family. His wife Queen Edith Godwinson is given five brothers, Tostig, the eldest, then Morcar, Waltheof, Sweyn and finally Harold.

“and the fifth was Harald, who was the youngest, and he was brought up at King Edward's court, and was his foster-son. The king loved him very much, and kept him as his own son; for he had no children.”

Chapter 78 describes Harold’s visit to Normandy and William’s court. There is no mention of any oath taken by Harold to support William’s claim to be Edward’s heir. The chapter focuses on an engagement between Harold and one of the daughters of William. Her name is not given and no account is given of his existing relationship with Edith Swanneck. Chapter 79 notes that Harold did not return to fulfil the betrothal. The same chapter describes the death and burial of King Edward, giving the wrong death date.
 
Edward was king over England for twenty-three years and died on a bed of sickness in London on the 5th of January, and was buried in Paul's church. Englishmen call him a saint.

Chapter 80 describes the positions of Tostig and Harold within Edward’s court.  

The sons of Earl Godwin were the most powerful men in England. Toste was made chief of the English king's army, and was his land-defence man when the king began to grow old; and he was also placed above all the other earls. His brother Harald was always with the court itself, and nearest to the king in all service, and had the charge of the king's treasure-chamber.

The saga repeats the accusation that Harold faked Edward’s bestowal of the throne and that he used false witnesses to support his claim. It gives the wrong date for his coronation.

It is said that when the king was approaching his last hour, Harald and a few others were with him. Harald first leans down over the king, and then said, "I take you all to witness that the king has now given me the kingdom, and all the realm of England:" and then the king was taken dead out of the bed.
The same day there was a meeting of the chiefs, at which there was some talk of choosing a king; and then Harald brought forward his witnesses that King Edward had given him the kingdom on his dying day. The meeting ended by choosing Harald as king, and he was consecrated and crowned the 13th day of Yule, in Paul's church. Then all the chiefs and all the people submitted to him.

Haraldr Hardrada’s Saga is concerned principally with the activities of Tostig and Haraldr Hardrada with respect to the invasion of York in 1066. It is not concerned with William the Bastard until the end of the saga when it describes his arrival in England and the death of Harold at the battle of Hastings. It does not present any claim that Harold Godwinson made oaths to William concerning the throne. Chapter 99 describes William’s reaction to the death of Edward.
 
When the Earl of Rouen, William the Bastard, heard of his relation, King Edward's, death, and also that Harald Godwinson was chosen, crowned, and consecrated king of England, it appeared to him that he had a better right to the kingdom of England than Harald, by reason of the relationship between him and King Edward. He thought, also, that he had grounds for avenging the affront that Harald had put upon him with respect to his daughter. From all these grounds William gathered together a great army in Normandy, and had many men, and sufficient transport-shipping.  

Chapter 80 relates that Tostig felt that Harold had robbed him of the throne, especially as he was the older brother, and he challenges Harold.

Now when his brother, Earl Toste, heard of this [Harold’s Coronation] he took it very ill, as he thought himself quite as well entitled to be king. "I want," said he, "that the principal men of the country choose him whom they think best fitted for it." And sharp words passed between the brothers. King Harald says he will not give up his kingly dignity, for he is seated on the throne which kings sat upon, and is anointed and consecrated a king. On his side also was the strength of the people, for he had the king's whole treasure.

In Chapter 81, King Harold strips Tostig of his command and Tostig voluntarily leaves for Flanders. According to the English sources, Tostig had been exiled in Flanders since late October 1065 and was not present for the death of Edward.
 
Now when King Harald perceived that his brother Toste wanted to have him deprived of the kingdom he did not trust him; for Toste was a clever man, and a great warrior, and was in friendship with the principal men of the country. He therefore took the command of the army from Toste, and also all the power he had beyond that of the other earls of the country. Earl Toste, again, would not submit to be his own brother's serving man; therefore he went with his people over the sea to Flanders, and stayed there awhile, then went to Friesland, and from thence to Denmark.

Master Wace: William the Bastard's Epiphany

According to Master Wace, William the Bastard was not celebrating Epiphany when news reached him from England regarding the death of Edward. One would assume that the same spy network that reported Harold’s ascension was also capable of reporting Edward’s illness and decline. But Wace, who was writing a hundred years later implies that William had no knowledge of events in England which is suspicious if he were the designated heir. Surely he would have been closely following the doings of the English court and been invited to the ceremonies surrounding the completion of the Edward’s greatest achievement, the cathedral containing his tomb.  But William was preparing to hunt. The story of William’s receipt of the news and his response is contained in the continuation of Chapter IX.

“The duke was in his park at Rouen. He held in his hand a bow, which he had strung and bent, making it ready for the arrow ; and he had given it into the hands of a page, for he was going forth, I believe, to the chace, and had with him many knights and pages and esquires, when behold! at the gate appeared a serjeant,who came journeying from England, and went straight to the duke and saluted him, and drew him on one side, and told  him privily that king Edward was dead, and that Harold was raised to be king.”

What follows next is Wace’s imaginative account of the Bastard’s dismay at receiving the news.

When the duke had listened to him, and learnt all the truth, how that Edward was dead, and Harold was made king, he became as a man enraged, and left the craft of the woods. Oft he tied his mantle, and oft he untied it again ; and spoke to no man, neither dared any man speak to him.
Then he crossed the Seine in his boat, and came to his hall, and entered therein ; and sat down at the end of a bench, shifting his place from time to time, covering his face with his mantle, and resting his head against a pillar. Thus he remained long, in deep thought, for no one dared speak to him ; but many asked aside, " What ails the duke, why makes he such bad cheer?"

 William is comforted by his seneschal, William Fitz Osbern. The seneschal was the head steward of a medievil household. According to Wace, Fitz Osbern advised William not to try to conceal his embarassment, as the cat was already out of the bag regarding Harold’s treachery.

“Then behold in came his seneschal [William Fitz Osbern], who rode from the park on horseback; and he passed close by the duke, humming a tune as he went along the hall; and many came round him, asking how it came to pass that the duke was in  such plight. And he said to them,
" Ye will hear news, but press not for it out of season; news will  always spread some time or another, and he who gets it not fresh, has it old."
Then the duke raised himself up, and the seneschal said to him,
" Sire, sire, why do you conceal the news you have heard ? If men hear it not at one time, they will at another ; concealment will do you no good, nor will the telling of it do harm. What you keep so close, is by this time known all over the city; for men go through the streets telling, and all know, both great and small, that king Edward is dead, and that Harold is become king in his stead,  and possesses the realm."

Duke William confides in his steward and is advised by the home help to make an attack on England. There is no mention of Tostig, who is carefully written out of all William’s preparations. Fitz Osbern was later rewarded with the earldom of Hereford until his death in 1070.

"That indeed is the cause of my sorrow," said the duke, " but I know no help for it. I sorrow for Edward, and for his death, and for the wrong that Harold has done me. He has wronged me in taking the kingdom that was granted and promised to me, as he himself had sworn."
To these words Fitz Osber, the bold of heart, replied, " Sire, do not vex yourself, but bestir yourself for your redress ; that you may be revenged on Harold, who hath been so disloyal to you. If your courage fail not, the land shall not abide with him. Call together all that you can call ; cross the sea, and take the kingdom from him. A bold man should  begin nothing unless he pursue it to the end ; what  he begins he should carry through, or abandon it  without more ado."

In Edward’s Life, King Edward is reported as directing Harold to look after his Norman followers (see above). But Wace adds to Harold’s crime of perjury, the crime of persecution of the Normans remaining in England.

“Thus the fame of king Harold's act went through the country. William sent to him often, and reminded him of his oath; and Harold replied injuriously, that he would do nought for him, neither take his daughter, nor yield up the land. Then William sent him his defiance, but Harold always answered that he feared him nought.
The Normans who dwelt in England, who had wives and children there, men whom Edward had invited and endowed with castles and fiefs, Harold chased out of the  country, nor would he leave one there ; he drove  out fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.”

Master Wace makes a major error when he reports that Harold was crowned at Easter rather than in January.  This is the first indication that he gives regarding the timing of the death of Edward and he is clearly ill informed. He makes further reference to the terms of Harold’s oath, in which he is well schooled, but he is lacking in actual facts regarding the succession.

“Harold received the crown at Easter; [Christmas] but it would  have been better for him if he had done otherwise, for he brought nought but evil on his heirs, and on all the land. He perjured himself for a kingdom, and that kingdom endured but little space ; to him it was a great loss, and it brought all his lineage to sorrow. He refused to take the duke's daughter to wife, he would neither give nor take according to his covenant, and heavily will he suffer for it; he,  and all he loves most.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Master Wace

The post conquest publicity machine of William the Conqueror had two main objectives. Firstly to create a case in support of William’s claim to the English crown. Secondly, to create a case to discredit Harold Godwinson’s claim and assassinate his character and that of his family.

Master Wace had connections to Bayeux Cathedral and was writing in the 1160’s, a hundred years after the conquest. His sources were post conquest and his patron was Henry II. His Chapter IX on Edward’s death and Harold’s succession immediately follows his account of Harold’s shipwreck in Normandy and his oaths.

Firstly he skips over any explanation of William’s absence from the English court during Edward’s extended illness from the beginning of November 1065 through his illness and the consecration of his cathedral in preparation of his burial.
 
‘The day came that no man can escape, and king Edward drew near to die. He had it much at heart, that William should have his kingdom, if possible;  but he was too far off, and it was too long to tarry for him, and Edward could not defer his hour. He lay in heavy sickness, in the illness whereof he was to die; and he was very weak, for death pressed hard  upon him’. 

Wace invents a dialogue between Harold and Edward, stating that Harold had primed his followers to support his grab for the throne. Wace tells us by dialogue that Edward has not fathered an heir, and that the people want him to name an heir who will maintain peace, and that they want his successor to be Harold. This does not specify whether Harold has been formally elected by the witan, or whether Edward actually has the authority to name his own successor. Thus he states William’s claim that Edward was coerced by Harold and his followers.

“Then Harold assembled his kindred, and sent for his friends and other people, and entered into the  king's chamber, taking with him whomsoever he pleased. An Englishman began to speak first, as Harold had directed him, and said ;
" Sire, we sorrow greatly that we are about to lose thee ; and we are much alarmed, and fear that great trouble may come upon us : yet we cannot lengthen thy life, nor alter thy fate. Each one must die for himself, and none for another; neither can we cure thee; so that thou canst not escape death ; but dust must return to dust. No heir of thine remains who may comfort us after thy death. Thou hast lived long, and art now old, but thou hast had no child, son or daughter; nor hast thou other heir, who may remain instead of thee to protect and guard us, and to become king by lineage. On this account the people weep and cry aloud, and say they are ruined, and  that they shall never have peace again if thou failest them. And in this, I trow, they say truly ; for without a king they will have no peace, and a king they cannot have, save through thee.
Give then thy kingdom in thy lifetime to some one who is strong enough to maintain us in peace. God grant that none other than such may be our king ! Wretched is a realm, and little worth, when justice and peace fail ; and he who doth not or cannot maintain them, has little right to the kingdom he hath.
Well hast thou lived, well hast thou done, and well wilt thou do; thou hast ever served God, and wilt be rewarded of him. Behold the best of thy people, the noblest of thy friends ; all are come to beseech thee, and  thou must grant their prayer before thou goest hence, or thou wilt not see God. All come to implore thee that Harold may be king of this land. We can give  thee no better advice, and no better canst thou do."  

As soon as he had named Harold, all the English in the chamber cried out that he said well, and that the king ought to give heed to him. " Sire' they said, "if thou dost it not, we shall never in our lives  have peace."

The next part of the dialogue gives Edward’s response as imagined by Wace. It presents William’s claim that he was previously promised the throne by Edward, but not when. It also claims that some Englishmen have sworn to support this, but again, not whom or when. This could be a veiled reference to Harold’s oath.

“Then the king sat up in his bed, and turned his face to the English there, and said, " Seignors, you well know, and have ofttimes heard, that I have given my realm at my death to the duke of Normandy ; and as I have given it, so have some among  you sworn that it shall go.”"

Then Harold takes his prompt and requests the throne from Edward.

“But Harold, who stood by, said, " Whatever thou hast heretofore done, sire, consent now that I shall be king, and that your land be mine ; I wish for no other title, and want no one to do any thing more for me.”"

Edward states that Harold will have the throne but the wording carefull avoids Edward saying ‘I give it to you.’  Edward is merely acknowledging his awareness that there is nothing he can do to prevent Harold taking control. He then prophecises that William will successfully take his revenge on Harold.

" Harold," said the king, " thou shalt have it, but I know full well that it will cost thee thy life. If I know any thing of the duke, and the barons that are with him, and the multitude of people that he can command, none but God can avail to save thee."

Harold responds that he does not fear William.

“Then Harold said that he would stand the hazard, and that if the king would do what he asked, he feared no one, be he Norman or other.”

Edward then gives his consent that the English select their own king and by this allows them to make Harold the heir.

“So the king turned round and said, whether of his own free will I know not, "Let the English make either the duke or Harold king as they please, I consent." Thus he made Harold heir to his kingdom, as William could not have it. A kingdom must have a king; without one, in fact, it would be no kingdom ; so he let his barons have their own will. 

Wace concludes the scene with Edward’s death and burial.

“And now he could abide no longer. He died, and the English lamented much over him. His body was greatly honoured, and was buried at Westminster ; and the tomb which was made for him was rich, and endureth still.”

Wace finally claims that Harold used his position to take the crown and deliberately concealed his coronation from William.

“As soon as king Edward was dead, Harold, who was rich and powerful, had himself anointed and crowned, and said nought of it to the duke, but took the homage and fealty of the richest, and best born of the land.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Harold's Coronation

The twelfth day of Christmas, 5th January is the Eve of the Epiphany. Harold's coronation followed immediately after the burial of Edward, quite possibly as part of the same event, whilst the congregation was gathered in the cathedral.  Harold was later criticised for the apparent haste of his coronation but more likely it was simply more expedient to combine the ceremonies.

There had been almost two weeks in which Edward sickened and died. All the nobles and senior clergy in the land were gathered together for the celebration of Christmas and the consecration of the church. There had been plenty of time in which to address the succession and to nominate a successor. Harold, as the 'under-king' and Edward's 'governor' was foremost in the possible heirs. 

William claimed through his publicity machine and many post-conquest writers that he was the designated heir, but he was not present to represent Edward at the consecration, this role fell to Queen Edith. Nor was he present thoughout Edward's final illness, or called for in his final hours.  ASC 1065 clearly states that Harold Godwinson was the chosen successor. The Bayeax tapestry shows Harold being offered the crown.

 

ASC 1065
" But the prudent king had settled the realm on high-born men— on Harold himself, the noble earl; who in every season faithfully heard and obeyed his lord, in word and deed; nor gave to any what might be wanted by the nation's king. This year also was Earl Harold hallowed to king; but he enjoyed little tranquillity therein the while that he wielded the kingdom."

ASC E
“And Harold the earl succeeded to the kingdom of England, even as the king had granted it to him, and men also had chosen him thereto; and he was crowned as king on Twelfth-day.”

Symeon of Durham
 “After his [Edward’s] funeral, the under-king Harold, son of duke Godwin, whom the king before his decease had chosen as the successor to his kingdom, was by the princes of all England elected to the royal dignity; and on the same day was solemnly consecrated king by Aldred, arch-bishop of York.”

Matthew Paris's Lives of Edward, written nearly 200 years later claims that Harold was elected because no-one dared to oppose him.

He  [Harold] was  tall  and  open  handed  and  handsome, 
But  less  loyal  than  he  appeared  ; 
He  caused  himself  to  be  elected  by  many,  
And  crowned ;  for  to  oppose  him
No  one  dared,  and  this  wrong  took  place,
 

 

Although Symeon says that Harold was crowned by Archbishop Aldred of York, the Bayeax tapestry shows Harold's coronation being officiated by Archbishop Stigand.

 Orderic Vitalis, pp461-462
"On the very day of the funeral, when the people were bathed in tears for the loss of their beloved king, Harold caused himself to be crowned by archbishop Stigand alone, though the pope had suspended him from his functions for certain crimes, without the concurrence of any other bishops and the earls and barons of the realm.
When the English were apprized of the bold usurption effected by Harold, they were very indignant and some of the most powerful lords, resolved on an obstinate resistance, refused to offer him any tokens of submission. Others, not knowing how to free themselves from the yoke imposed upon them, which soon became firmly fixed, and on the other hand, considering that they could neither depose him, not while he held the reigns of government set up another king to the advantage of the realm, submitted to his usurption, consolidating the power which he had already established. In a short time the throne which had been iniquitously seized was stained by horrible crimes."
[and here Orderic moves on to the expulsion of Tostig which he sets after the coronation and which he blames on Harold]

Matthew Paris shows Harold crowning himself.  He says in "the Lives of Edward the Confessor"

It  was  the  feast  of  the  Epiphany,  when  
The  crown  he  placed  on  his  head,
And  the  morrow  after  King  Edward
Died,  Which  had  seemed  to  him  long  delayed;
By  seculars  and  lay  people. 
With  pride  hastily  
Without  sacrament  of  Holy  Church,
And  without  service  was  he  crowned. 

Henry of Huntingdon gives the post-conquest view that Harold seized the crown unlawfully.  He follows the error that Edward died on twelfth day, the eve of epiphany. He says, “ For when the church of St. Peter at Westminster had been consecrated on Holy Innocents' day, and soon afterwards King Edward departed this life on the eve of Epiphany, and was interred in the same church, which he had built and endowed with great possessions, some of the English sought to make Edgar Etheling king; but Harold, relying on his power and his pretensions by birth, seized the crown.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Edward’s Burial

The twelfth day of Christmas, 5th January is the Eve of the Epiphany. This day saw both the funeral of King Edward and the coronation of King Harold.

ASC 1065 

" ... and he was buried on twelfth-day in the same minster; as it is hereafter said. Here Edward king,  of Angles lord, sent his stedfast soul to Christ. In the kingdom of God a holy spirit! He in the world here abode awhile, in the kingly throng of council sage. Four and twenty winters wielding the sceptre freely, wealth he dispensed. In the tide of health, the youthful monarch, offspring of Ethelred! ruled well his subjects; the Welsh and the Scots, and the Britons also, Angles and Saxons relations of old. So apprehend the first in rank, that to Edward all the noble king were firmly held high-seated men. Blithe-minded aye was the harmless king; though he long ere, of land bereft, abode in exile wide on the earth; when Knute o'ercame the kin of Ethelred, and the Danes wielded the dear kingdom of Engle-land. Eight and twenty winters' rounds they wealth dispensed. Then came forth free in his chambers, in royal array, good, pure, and mild, Edward the noble; by his country defended— by land and people. Until suddenly came the bitter Death and this king so dear snatched from the earth. Angels carried his soul sincere into the light of heaven."

Orderic Vitalis [or his editor] gets the date wrong.
 
“Some time afterwards, King Edward, of pious memory, died at London on the nones [fifth] of January, in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, and was interred in the new monastery which he had just built on the western side of  the city, and at the consecration of which he had been present the week before. His body was laid near the altar which St. Peter the apostle had blessed with the working of  miracles in the time of Mellitus, bishop of London.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Eleven: Edward’s Death

 The eleventh day of Christmas, 4th January is not assigned a feast day. In 1066 this was a Thursday.

 

 

The image shows the death of Edward and his reception into heaven, attended by St John and St Peter.
http://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-EE-00003-00059/63

ASC CD&E 1065
"He [Edward] died on the eve of twelfth-day; and he was buried on twelfth-day in the same minster; as it is hereafter said. "

The eve of twelfth day is of course the eleventh day or the 4th of January, and he was buried the next day which is the eve of the Epiphany. Some writers have confused the eve of twelfth day i.e. the eleventh, with the eve of the Epiphany which is the twelfth. Note that the Epiphany is sometimes referred to as the thirteenth day of Christmas. This has caused some writers to give his death date as the 5th January.

Before he died he made some dying statements to the people gathered around his bed. These statements were preceded by the account of the monks dream and prophecy related above. What he said and to whom varies from writer to writer.

 King  Edward  draws  to  his  end,
There  is  no  one  who  has  not  great  sorrow  for  it ;
His  flesh  is  already  half  dead,  
His  people  he  calls  again  and  again  comforts  ; 

 

 Note that the scene as depicted in the Bayeax Tapestry shows Queen Edith at his feet as described in the Life of Edward.  " that is to say, the queen, who was sitting on the floor warming his feet in her lap, her brother, Earl Harold, and Rodbert the steward of the royal palace and a kinsman of the king, also Archbishop Stigand and a few more"

Barlow's Life, p79  gives his speech to Queen Edith  and he commends her to her brother Harold, who is named as his 'governor'. This confirms that Harold had been governing England on Edward's behalf and with his consent, throughout his illness.

“ When he was sick unto death and his men stood and wept bitterly he said “do not weep …”
Then he addressed his lst words to the queen who was sitting at his feet ..’

“And stretching forth his hand to his governor, her brother Harold, he said,
“I commend this woman and all the kingdom to your protection. Serve and honour her with faithful obedience as your lady and sister, which she is and do not despoil her, as long as she lies, of any honour got from me.
Likewise I also commend those men who have left their native land for love of me, and have up till now served me faithfully. Take from them an oath of fealty, if they should so wish, and protect and retain them or send them with your safe conduct safely across the Channel to their own homes with all that they have acquired in my service.
Let the grave for my burial be prepared in the minster in the place which shall be assigned to you. I ask that you do not conceal my death, but announce it promptly in all parts, so that the faithful can beseech the mercy of Almighty God on me, a sinner.”

p80 says he was now up to his last hour

“And so coming with these and like words to his last hour, he … gave up his spirit to God the Creator on the fourth of January …”

p81 they bear him from the palace

“ They bore his holy remains from his palace home into the house of God, and offered up prayers and sighs and psalms all that day and the following night. Meanwhile, when the day of the funeral dawned, they blessed the office of the interment they were to conduct with the singing of masses and the relief of the poor.”

and here the book 'the Life of Edward' ends.

Paris’s Lives of Edward

And  when  all  was  accomplished. 
The  soul  left  the  body  ; 
Angels  descend  from  above,
Singing  Te  Deum  Laudamus  ; 
All  the  court  of  Heaven  is  full 
Of  glory,  and  of  the  joy  which  conducts  him. 
And  Saint  Peter,  his  dear  friend,
Opens  the  gate  of  Paradise, 
And  Saint  John,  his  Own  dear  one, 
Conducts  him  before  the  Majesty, 
And  God  gives  him  his  kingdom, 
Who  puts  the  crown  on  his  head ; 
Makes  him  possessed  of  this  great  glory 
Which  shall  never  be  ended.  
And  thus  from  an  earthly  kingdom 
He  passed  to  a  Heavenly. 
Truly  blessed  was  this  king, 
Who  here  and  there  was  crowned  ; 
And  so  much  more  is  worth  that  (kingdom)  than  this,  
As  gold  is  than  mire  ; 
For  the  one  is  brief  and  ends  soon, 
The  other  sure  and  enduring. 
In  the  thousand  and  sixty-sixth  year 
Since  God  took  flesh, 
After  he  had  reigned  twenty-three  years
And  a  half,  King  Edward
Died,  the  fourth  day  of  January,
Virgin  of  body,  pure  throughout.

Note the shape of the gates of heaven as depicted by Matthew Paris, above, is a yoni. There are other examples of heaven being shown with this shape in medievil manuscripts. The question must be asked, why these medievil monks were depicting heaven with this shape, and were they aware of its significance?

 

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Ten: Edward's Prophecy

The tenth day of Christmas, 3rd January. In 1066 this was a Wednesday. There was no feast day assigned to this day in 1066, as far as I can determine.

Edward was sleeping for the two days preceding his death - this is day two.

“Up till then, for the last two days or more, weakness had so tired him that when he spoke scarcely anything he said had been intelligible.”

Prior to his death Edward awakens and relates a predicitve dream he has had about two monks who convey to him a message from God.  The story is in both Barlow's life of Edward and in the later Matthew Paris version.

Barlow's Life: p75 the prophecy of the monks

“ since, they said, those who have climbed to the highest offices in the kingdom of England, the earls, bishops, and abbots, and all those in holy orders, are not what they seem to be, but on the contrary, are servants of the devil, on a year and one day after the day of your death God has delivered all this kingdom, cursed by him, into the hands of the enemy, and devils shall come through al this land with fire and sword and the havoc of war”

Note that this states overtly that William the conqueror is Edward’s enemy.

The later Life repeats and expands the prophecy.

These  two  appeared  to  me  ; 
"What  God  bids  me  by  these  two, 
And  commands  you  to  hear. 
Lords  all,  for  God’s  sake,  hear, 
For  for  that  I  am  reinvigorated. 
Too  much  now  is  virtue  failing 
In  England,  and  sin  rising  ; 
Nor  can  God's  long-suffering  endure 
That  He  take  not  a  mighty  vengeance  ; 
The  longer  He  waits  to  defer  it,  
The  more  fearfully  will  He  strike. 
Bishops,  prelates,  and  priests, 
No  longer  seek  to  be  good  pastors  ; 
They  seek  not  to  feed  the  sheepfolds ; 
But  to  sell  them  is  each  one  s  business  ; 
To  rescue  them  from  the  wolf  none  pains 
Takes,  but  only  for  the  milk  and  the  wool. 
Princes  and  counts  and  barons 
Go  seeking  only  vain-glory, 
Nor  do  they  live  but  to  swallow  money. 
The  poor  they  strip  and  illtreat; 
But  vengeance  for  it  shall  come, 
It  shall  last  a  year  and  a  day  ;  ,
This  shall  be  by  war  and  by  fire.' 
Thus  they  finished  their  speech.

The meaning is clear, England is corrupt and God will have his vengeance and use William to bring it about within a year and a day of Edward's death. If William is perceived to be the enemy, this would explain his absence.

Barlow's Life continues p76
"When those who were present had heard these words - that is to say, the queen, who was sitting on the floor warming his feet in her lap, her brother, Earl Harold, and Rodbert the steward of the royal palace and a kinsman of the king, also Archbishop Stigand and a few more whom the blessed king when roused from sleep had ordered to be summoned - they were all sore afraid as men who had heard a speech contaning many calamities and a denial of the hope of pity."

At the end of p76 - Archbishop Stigand denies the prophecy and says that Edward is rambling.

“ And while all were stupified and silent from the effect of terror, the archbisop himself, who ought to have been the first to fear or give a word of advice, with folly at heart whispered into the ear of the earl that the king was broken with age and disease and knew not what he said.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Nine: Feast of St Basil and Gregory.

 The ninth day of Christmas, 2nd January is the feasts of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus. In 1066 this was a Tuesday.

 “The Three Hierarchs of Eastern Christianity refers to Basil the Great (also known as Basil of Caesarea), Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory of Nazianzus) and John Chrysostom. They were highly influential bishops of the early church who played pivotal roles in shaping Christian theology. In Eastern Christianity they are also known as the Three Great Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers, while in Roman Catholicism the three are honored as Doctors of the Church. The three are venerated as saints in Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism, and other Christian churches”. [wiki]

One has to ask the question why the feast only recognises two of the three.   

“Disputes raged in 11th century Constantinople about which of the three hierarchs was the greatest.  …All three have separate feast days in January: Basil on January 1, Gregory on January 25, and Chrysostom on January 27. The Eastern Churches teach that the three hierarchs appeared together in a vision to St. John Mauropous, bishop of Euchaita, in the year 1084, and said that they were equal before God: "There are no divisions among us, and no opposition to one another." As a result, a January 30 feast day commemorating all three in common was instituted around 1100 under the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.” [wiki]

  

Sources say that Edward lapsed into semi consciousness for two days prior to his death. Counting backwards, this would be the first of the two days. The sources say that he took the last rites and this must have been whilst he was still conscious.

Barlow’s Life of Edward 

 “Up till then, for the last two days or more, weakness had so tired him that when he spoke scarcely anything he said had been intelligible.”

“When King Edward, replete with faith, perceived that the power of the disease was forcing him to his end, with the commendation and prayers of the most important of God’s faithful he resigned himself to the funeral rites.”

King Edward continued to decline for several days. Nothing is related regarding the administration of the kingdom during his illness. It is assumed that Harold Godwinson as the leading earl was managing things. Both Symeon of Durham and Florence of Worcester call him the “under-king”.
 

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Eight: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

The eighth day of Christmas, 1st January is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In 1066 this was a Monday.  It is also the Feast of the Circumcision. 

"The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ, whom she had circumcised on the 8th day, according to the Levitical Law. Christians see him as the Lord, the Son of God. It is celebrated by the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church on 1 January, the Octave (8th) day of Christmastide." [wiki]

 

 

"The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ is a Christian celebration of the circumcision of Jesus in accordance with Jewish tradition, eight days (according to the Semitic and southern European calculation of intervals of days)[1] after his birth, the occasion on which the child was formally given his name."[wiki]