WI William the Conqueror wins at Hastings but dies in battle?

in 1066 William the Conqueror invades England and faces Harold II in the battle of Hastings... in OTL William wins the day and Harold is dead...
WI in the battle both William and Harold end up dead???
What happens then?
 
Prehaps whats left of the English declare for Edgar as King, it's also quite likely that Williams men would break up into the seperate factions
 
And then, they establish some small princedoms in southern England, which will be absorbed by it in the next centuries... could make an interesting TL.
 
And then, they establish some small princedoms in southern England, which will be absorbed by it in the next centuries... could make an interesting TL.

I don't think there's enough space in southern England for small kingdoms at this point.

As someone else pointed out, William died while ostensibly fighting with Papal blessing. Edgar Aetheling, or rather Edgar Cyning, and his supporters can claim that this shows that God wasn't on William's side and paint Harold as a king who died to preserve the sacred soil of his kingdom- after all in the last month of his life Harold fought two separate enemy armies. With this sort of propaganda basis raising the country against any Normans who try to carve themselves little fiefs is going to be child's play.
 

Krall

Banned
What about a counter-invasion? The English people see the Normans' defeat as a holy sign that the English should conquer Normandy?

Of course, I don't know alot about medieval politics and practice, so this could just be totally ASB...
 
What about a counter-invasion? The English people see the Normans' defeat as a holy sign that the English should conquer Normandy?

Of course, I don't know alot about medieval politics and practice, so this could just be totally ASB...

Not a good idea- the military structure of Anglo-Saxon England wasn't really set up for a counter-invasion. The majority of the troops were free militiamen- every freeman was obliged to serve a certain amount of time per year in the army. These guys wouldn't really be up for going on an overseas campaign and it wouldn't really be feasible for Edgar to try and compel them to do so.

Also, I doubt the Thanes would be willing to back a counter-invasion and Edgar would need their huscarls (professional warriors employed by rich men and nobles) to provide a heavy core to his army. Without their support he'd only have the huscarls of the royal house to invade with.

Which brings up an interesting point- IIRC most of the king's huscarls got themselves killed at Hastings trying to defend Harold. Edgar's position on the throne may be pretty unstable, assuming there's another powerful noble able to swing the Witangemot to his side.
 

Grey Wolf

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Don't forget the Count of Boulogne (I think it was) - he tried to invade in OTL when William was busy elsewhere, and could well be up for the challenge now

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
And then we have Godfrey de Bouillon crowned King of England instead of Jerusalem (actually his title was Defender of the Holy Sepulchre... He was planning to donate Jerusalemm to the Pope and conquer Egypt to be its King...)
 
Don't forget the Count of Boulogne (I think it was) - he tried to invade in OTL when William was busy elsewhere, and could well be up for the challenge now

Best Regards
Grey Wolf


If you're talking about Eustace II, Count of Boulogne he fought at Hastings as well as did his son the future Eustace III. If William died at Hastings then the chances are Eustace snr and jnr might as well
 
Which brings up an interesting point- IIRC most of the king's huscarls got themselves killed at Hastings trying to defend Harold. Edgar's position on the throne may be pretty unstable, assuming there's another powerful noble able to swing the Witangemot to his side.

I imagine Edwin and Morcar were the most powerful English nobles left but IOTL they were among the ones who tried to name Edgar king
 

Grey Wolf

Gone Fishin'
Donor
If you're talking about Eustace II, Count of Boulogne he fought at Hastings as well as did his son the future Eustace III. If William died at Hastings then the chances are Eustace snr and jnr might as well

Well, not if William WINS at Hastings but is unfortunately killed - I would imagin that if they are killed as well, then its not going to be much of a victory of any sort

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
Edgar Ætheling for King - the Normans aren't going to risk a second invasion as the King of France, Philip I and his mother who is acting as regent, is going to take full advantage of the death William and invade.
 

Grey Wolf

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Edgar Ætheling for King - the Normans aren't going to risk a second invasion as the King of France, Philip I and his mother who is acting as regent, is going to take full advantage of the death William and invade.

The thing is that if the Normans have WON Hastings they won't need to re-invade as they will already be here. One assumes that William left a regent at home in Normandy ? But I can't off the top of my head remember the ages of his children at this point in time ? Now, if the Normans have been victorious but William is dead, its a very confusing situation

I agree that all and sundry will leap on Normandy and try to tear it apart, but remember that it took an age to get a clear run across the Channel, so the Norman army won't simply be able to re-embark and go home quickly.

Thus, victorious but worried about home, its in a strange position. It has the field and has the potential to intervene decisively in English affairs, but it needs to get home, or at least a large part does...

I would think therefore a negotiated settlement with Edgar and the Witan, followed by re-embarcation to try to save Normandy. BUT this does not end the scenario as others, like the Count of Boulogne, will try to take advantage of England's weakness and advance their own plans

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
I would think therefore a negotiated settlement with Edgar and the Witan, followed by re-embarcation to try to save Normandy. BUT this does not end the scenario as others, like the Count of Boulogne, will try to take advantage of England's weakness and advance their own plans

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

Swegn Estrithson would probably chance his arm a bit earlier in these circumstances
 
What about the Vikings? Harald Hardrada was killed in Stafford Bridge if i remember correctly... Could they have used the turmoil in England after Harold's II and William's deaths and invade again???
 
What about the Vikings? Harald Hardrada was killed in Stafford Bridge if i remember correctly... Could they have used the turmoil in England after Harold's II and William's deaths and invade again???

After Harald's death Norway was divided between his sons Magnus and Olav. Magnus died in 1069 leaving Olav as sole king. So the Norwegians might wait until 1069 to have another crack at England
 
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