HAROLD II. (1022?-1066), king of the English, the second son of Earl Godwine, was born about 1022. While still very young (before 1045) he was appointed, through his father's in fluence with Edward the Confessor, to the earldom of the East Angles. He shared his father's outlawry and banishment in 1051, but while Godwine went to Flanders, Harold with his brother Leofwine took refuge in Ireland. In 1052 the uneasiness felt at the visit to England of William, Duke of Normandy, who was known to covet the English throne, caused a reaction in favour of Godwine, who returned to England with his sons, under arms. The witan finally decreed that their lands should be restored. Harold theref ore received his earldom of the East Angles, and on his father's death in I0S3 succeeded him in the greater earldom of the West Saxons, Sweyn having died while on a pilgrimage to Jeru salem. Harold was now the chief man in the kingdom, and the latter part of Edward's reign was virtually the reign of Harold. On the death (1 o5 5) of Siward, earl of Northumbria, Edward, at the instigation of Harold, appointed his brother Tostig earl of Northumbria; Earl Aelfgar looked upon this appointment as a menace to the Mercian house, and his opposition led Harold to procure his outlawry by the witan. Aelfgar then joined Gruffydd, Prince of North Wales in an attack on Hereford, as the result of which Aelfgar regained his position as earl of East Anglia. In I o5 7, with the exception of Mercia, Harold and his brothers held all the earldoms throughout England. Aelfgar, in order to secure a useful ally, married his daughter Ealdgyth to Gruffyd. Aelfgar died in Io62, and was succeeded by his son Edwin. In spite of the alliance between the Mercians and the Welsh, Harold and Tostig raided Wales in 1063, and forced Gruffyd, who was even tually killed by his own men, to flee. In 1063 Harold was ship wrecked on the French coast, and captured by the Normans, who only released him on his oath on sacred relics (though at the time he was unaware of their nature) to support William in any claim for the English throne. Probably on his return to England, though the date is uncertain, Harold married Ealdgyth (Edith), sister of Edwin, and widow of Gruffyd, thus conciliating the powerful earl of Mercia. His mistress, Eadgyth of the Swan-neck, the mother of his children, was still living. In io65 the Northum brians revolted against Tostig's rule, choosing Morkere, brother of Edwin of Mercia, in his place. Harold acted as mediator, but was compelled to agree to the banishment of Tostig, who was thenceforth his bitterest enemy.
On Jan. 6, io66 Edward died, recommending Harold as his successor. He was accordingly elected at once and crowned. He won over the men of Northumbria, and prepared against the attacks which threatened on both sides. William challenged the crown, alleging both a bequest of Edward in his favour and Harold's oath, and prepared to invade England. From May to September, Harold kept men and ships in readiness on the south coast, but at last provisions failed and he returned to London. At this time Harald Hardrada of Norway, supported by Tostig in the north, invaded England. Together they sailed up the Humber, defeated Edwin and Morkere, and received the sub mission of York. Harold hurried northwards, and on Sept. 25 won a complete victory over the Northmen at Stamford Bridge, in which Tostig and Harald Hardrada were slain. Two days later Harold received news that William had landed at Pevensey, and he marched southward as fast as possible. He gathered his army in London from all southern and eastern England, while Edwin and Morkere held the north. The king then marched into Sussex, and engaged the Normans (Oct. 14, io66) on the hill of Senlac near Battle (see HASTINGS, BATTLE OF). After a fight lasting all day the Normans had the victory; Harold, wounded by an arrow in the eye, and his two brothers Gyrth and Leofwine, lay dead on the field. Harold had three sons, Godwine, Edmund and Magnus, and two daughters, probably the children of Edith of the Swan neck. Another son was named Ulf. By his wife Ealdgyth, who was sent for safety to Chester in io66, he had a posthumous son, Harold, who took part in the expedition of Magnus Barefoot to the Scottish Isles in Io98. Harold's body is said to have been taken from the cairn of stones on the sea shore where it was originally buried to Waltham.
See E. A. Freeman, History of the Norman Conquest of England (6 vols., Oxford, 1871-79) in which the existing sources are fully utilised ; Lytton's Harold is a brilliant historical novel, though not an impartial record.