Why was Harald Hardrada a contender for the English throne?

Answer 1

Harald Hardrada was the strong Viking king of Denmark. He was related to King Cnut and his sons. He said this gave him the right to invade.Harold believed that an agreement made between the previous kings of England and Denmark gave him the rightful claim.He relied on his Viking reputation of being fierce. He was a tremendous warrior, and had travelled across and beyond Europe. Harold Hardrada was a true Viking, and wanted to take England by force.Earl Tostig offered to help Harold Hardrada. Tostig was Harold Godwinson's brother. He had been banished from England in disgrace.Hardrada and Tostig joined together to plan their invasion. They probably knew that Duke William was also planning to invade. They thought if King Harold was distracted by Duke William's invasion in the south, it would be easy to invade the north.

Answer 2

Harald Hardrada was a Danish an expansionist warrior, seeing England as a potentially easy conquest, having originally been exiled from his native Norway then returning to it after forming a successful army with battle victories in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. His raid against England in 1066, against king Harold of England, was yet another victory for him. He is generally considered to be the last of the Vikings, a tribe who continually invaded Europe, including England, raiding and colonizing, for personal and/or national advantage, from the 8th to the 11th centuries. See Related Links for more information.

Answer 3

Harald based his claim to the throne of England on an agreement supposedly made by Harthacanut (the son of Canute and king of England) and Magnus (the previous king of Norway), which stated that if either died, the other would inherit the deceased's throne and lands. When Harthacnut died, Magnus assumed the crown of Denmark, but did not press his claim on England, allowing Edward the Confessor to take the throne. When Magnus died and Harald Hardrada took the throne of Norway he therefore had a thin claim to the throne of England. He would not have contested the throne of England on the death of Edward the Confessor were it not for two things; 1) He had tried to seize Denmark from the new King Svein but failed dismally and this had annoyed him. 2) The exiled Earl Tostig (brother of Harold Godwinson) urged him to do it and promised him much support in England if he did. Harald invaded England but the support Earl Tostig promised him never materialised. The Norwegians were defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge and Harald Hardrada died in the battle after he was shot in the throat by an arrow.

Answer 4

He had no blood connection but rested supposedly on an agreement by Harthacnut who was King of Denmark and England and Magnus King of Norway. They agreed that if the other died they would inherit the others throne/s. Harthacnut's half brother Edward however succeeded him on the throne of England. Harald meanwhile became King of Norway and after Edward's death used the agreement as a tenuous claim supported by Harold's brother Tostig.

Answer 5

He thought he should be king because he was a good soldier, wealthy, trustworthy and was related to other previous kings.

His great grandfather was king Canut, and his ancestors were all very powerful earls and dukes.

To be more in depth, his nephew Magnus was promised the throne by one of the Norse kings, Harthacanute, who came before Edward, but Magnus was unable to take up this offer when the king died, because he was busy taking over Denmark. After Magnus died, Harald Hardrada came to power, and decided to take advantage of the promise made to his nephew.