Why did Harold tell William he could be next king of England?

Answer 1

Harold had shipwrecked on the coast of Normandy and fell into the hands of Duke William, a sly and tough Norman who believed he should be the successor to King Edward the Confessor when he died. When William realized that the one person who could challenge him for that throne was in his grasp, he devised a plan to trick Harold into agreeing that he, William, would be the next king. It involved a public oath given on a chest that, unbeknownst to Harold held the bones of a saint, which at the time, was considered to be the highest form of swearing an oath that could be done. So even though William tricked Harold into the oath, Harold was bound by the oath. Additionally, Harold believed that he, Harold, was the best chance England had for maintaining peace and harmony in England. He thought if he were king, he could unite all the fighting factions in Europe. Harold knew that he must state publicly that William would be the next king, or he and his men would all be killed. So, to save his men and himself, and therefore, in his mind, to save England, he told William what he wanted to hear.