Plausibility Check: England permanently divided after 1066?

[LeCHVCK]

On this forum I have sometimes seen scenarios where England is split between William and Harald or someone else. Creating a norman England like OTL in the south and a scandinavian-influenced anglosaxon England in the north as it was before the conquest. Is this a plausible development? I kind of doubt it because William and Harald were both pretty ambitious and would want England as a whole. They would probably have to fight to a stalemate in a Korea like situation. The kingdom of England in 1066 is not an ancient thing only established by Athelstan about a century prior so maybe a division would be acceptable. However medieval people did not think of borders and sovereignty as we do today and Harald and William as corulers seem more age appropriate although they wouldn’t harmonize.

Alternatively if not with Harald could this be achieved if William fails to subjugate the north? Maybe he dies too early and his successors and an anglosaxon claimant agree to divide the kingdom.

Third question: After these separate kingdoms are established and aged for a bit how would they be called? Kingdoms of York and Wessex, or just boring North-England and South-England?

 

[The Professor]

You'd definitely need the North to fair better. Perhaps Harold loses to Harald, and the latter gets more of the country to support him against William. Though best result where William lives and is involved only sees Harald in a sort of "Prince of Northumbria" role and still subordinate to William as King of England.
One could also go for a similar division where David of Scotland remains Prince of Cumbria and gets his claims on the Earldom of Northumberland/Northumbria recognised. His descendants playing Scotland and England off each other to create a transborder princedom (petty kingdom) that later goes independent.

A post 1066 split though sees a southern England and northern Northumbria as the likeliest names.

 

[Nivek]

d question: After these separate kingdoms are established and aged for a bit how would they be called? Kingdoms of York and Wessex, or just boring North-England and South-England?

Too late, you need a POD on the heptarchy, maybe no viking or vikes ended up doing better at first but worse later and ended up dividing england more