AHC: Saxon-Norwegian Alliance circa 1066?

Plausibility wise, what do we all think about the possibility of Harald Hardrada forming an alliance with Harold Godwinson and beating back the Normans?

Perhaps if Hardrada had won the Danish Throne, and married his daughter to Harold instead of Olaf of Denmark? This is possible (as far as I know) and could definitely lead to some interesting politics as well as a very different development of English culture. Thoughts?
 
I can just imagine this conversation happening somewhere on Philip Jose Farmers Riverworld
Harald: Hey Harold how come you lost to the Bastard. I could have beaten him with half of my army
Harold: Yeah which is why you couldn't beat me with all of it!
Harald: Now if only we could have come to some sort of agreement
Harold: And I was going to trust you because? Tostig!
Harald: Well if you had maried my daughter then we would have been blood kin and I would have been oathsworn to help you.
Harold: First I had a wife, second my mistress would have had one or two words on the matter, third you would have let me exhaust my army fighting the Bastard and THEN arrived to help,acquiring the throne on the way as I would probably have "died in battle". Your lot would have been as bad as the Normans. Also I reckon if you had come out on top then Canmore would have come south to protect the interests of his children not to forget Aedgar the Atheling.
Harald: I really could have beaten Canmore with half my Army and who was going to fight for Aedgar? Churchmen?
Squabbling fades into the distance...
 
Plausibility wise, what do we all think about the possibility of Harald Hardrada forming an alliance with Harold Godwinson and beating back the Normans?

It's unlikely, Harald wouldn't take something less than what he probably agreed with William : taking over northern England. He simply had more to won with Normans than with Godwinsoon that searched a political domination of England.

If situation is far worse for Harold, maybe he can agree to such a thing in desperation, but it would cost him much local support. An earlier, sucessful, Danish invasion could do it but again : I doubt Harold would freely make such agreement if he's not really defeated.
 

tuareg109

Banned
Also remember, Harold Godwinson and King Sweyn II of Denmark were cousins. It's much more likely that Sweyn would help Harold, in exchange for Harold aiding Sweyn against Hardrada and his son(s).

There's another faction/alliance being left out, but it shall be a secret until...tomorrow! Mwahaha! Debut of my new TL.
 
Familial links doesn't have this kind of importance, actually. You have as much matrimonial alliance makes to end a war than to forge a real alliance between two dynasties.
While Sven could attack Haralda, it would be far from a coordinated action with Harold : his campaign/raid of 1079 shows that he had interests on England himself and not likely to be that friednly with Godwinsson.

After all he made similar agreements or unions with Danes and Norses and it didn't particularly ended in a big familial hug :)
 
What if Harold Godwinson had promised both William and Hadrada the south, and had them fight it out, then swooped in and taken them out?
 
I don't think it would be possible : Godwinsson power base was Wessex and East-Anglia with Kent in a lesser extent.
I doubt anyone would have fall on such a proposition, William and Harald agreement not only prevented them to fight each other, but made sense, contrary to this plan.
 

tuareg109

Banned
What if Harold Godwinson had promised both William and Hadrada the south, and had them fight it out, then swooped in and taken them out?

Give Hardrada the north, and William the south and maybe, just maybe it might work. Otherwise, there's no way to get them to fight each other and still remain alive between them.

William wouldn't want to be cut off from his supply lines, the best ports (and nearest across the Channel from Normandy), and the richer lands of England.

Hardrada would want to take Northumbria first, which had more half- and quarter-Scandinavian settlers than anywhere else who might be more-or-less sympathetic to his cause, if Godwinson is shown to be a weak king.
 
I can just imagine this conversation happening somewhere on Philip Jose Farmers Riverworld
Harald: Hey Harold how come you lost to the Bastard. I could have beaten him with half of my army
Harold: Yeah which is why you couldn't beat me with all of it!
Harald: Now if only we could have come to some sort of agreement
Harold: And I was going to trust you because? Tostig!
Harald: Well if you had maried my daughter then we would have been blood kin and I would have been oathsworn to help you.
Harold: First I had a wife, second my mistress would have had one or two words on the matter, third you would have let me exhaust my army fighting the Bastard and THEN arrived to help,acquiring the throne on the way as I would probably have "died in battle". Your lot would have been as bad as the Normans. Also I reckon if you had come out on top then Canmore would have come south to protect the interests of his children not to forget Aedgar the Atheling.
Harald: I really could have beaten Canmore with half my Army and who was going to fight for Aedgar? Churchmen?
Squabbling fades into the distance...
What he said.

No way on earth. Sorry.
 
Last edited:
Top