First thing, Harold II Godwínson goes home to the lovely Ealdgȳð Swann hnesce [aka Edith Swan-neck] and they rejoice exceedingly; maybe he even takes his boots off first.
*grin*
Saxons have no way of taking Normandy, does their navy exist at all?
And as mentioned before, Normandy probably passes into the hands of one of William's sons (wasn't Curthose the oldest?)
And if it wasn't for the fact the French king and vassals would come to the defense of Normandy, they most certainly have a way of taking it.
No need for a civil war. Saxon England did not stick rigidly to primogeniture and Harold became King as the choice of the Witan as the most suitable candidate in uncertain times when the main claimant was in his early teens. Had the Ætheling grown to become an accomplished soldier as he did in real life and well educated at the Courts of Europe there is no reason why he should not have been in line for the top job at some time. He lived until 1125, thus surviving the Bastard and Rufus and living through most of the careers of Henry I and Curthose.Furthermore ... given the disagreement in Witangemot, its not unlikely that he'll get a civil war a few years down the road against the 'legal' heir of the Saxon throne, Eadgar Aetherling of Wessex
We see Harold II and his successors consolidate control over England, and more Normans heading South and East to Spain, Italy, and Anatolia.
Furthermore ... given the disagreement in Witangemot, its not unlikely that he'll get a civil war a few years down the road against the 'legal' heir of the Saxon throne, Eadgar Aetherling of Wessex
As a lawyer would say, "opportunity but no motive". You said yourself that Harold has no claim to Normandy. This is not the tribal era when two tribes fight until one has beaten the other and then the defeated party must recognise the supremacy of the other. Harold has no legitimate reason to be in Normandy, and for that sole reason he would never cross the Channel. Maybe in later centuries he might for the plunder and to effectively reduce Normandy to a burned out wasteland for a year or two in revenge, but Harold is never going to seek conquest because there's no way shape or form to legitimise his actions. Conversely, by refusing to attack Normandy he can fortify his position in England and seek a position of strength where attacking Normandy would leave him temporarily vulnerable to an interested third party such as Sweyn II of Denmark, since there seemed to be no end to the claimants of the English throne.
Furthermore ... given the disagreement in Witangemot, its not unlikely that he'll get a civil war a few years down the road against the 'legal' heir of the Saxon throne, Eadgar Aetherling of Wessex