A-History-of-Britain-02.-Conquest

AHistoryofBritain02.Conquest第1页，共22页AHistoryofBritain02.Conquest(1of29)ItwasthehandofGodthatdecidedtheoutcomeofbattles,thefateofnationsandthelifeordeathofkings.Everyoneknewthat.Itwaswinter,theseasonoffrostanddeath.Akinglaydying.HisnamewasEdwardtheConfessor.Hewasdyingchildlessanditwasn'tobviouswhowouldsucceedhim.Astherewasnoheir,manythoughttheyshouldbethenextking,includingforeignprinceslikeDukeWilliamofNormandy.AmongthosegatheredroundthebedofthedyingSaxonkingwasthenextmostpowerfulmaninEngland,HaroldGodwinesonandhethoughtthecrownwouldlookwellonhishead.HewashopingforasignthatKingEdwardfeltthesameway.ThenEdwardstretchedouthishandandtouchedHarold.Butwashegivinghimablessingoracurse?WasthisthehandofGodmakingHaroldking?Nobodyknewforsure,butHaroldhadnoqualms.Heseizedthecrown.Thequestionnowwasforhowlongwouldhekeepit?Then,intheAprilsky,thehandofGodshoweditselfasacomet,ahairystar,andeveryoneknewthiswasnoblessingbutanevilomen.Theyearwas1066.Historianslikeaquietlifeandusuallytheygetit.Forthemostpart,historymovesataglacialpace,workingitschangessubtly.InBritainweliketothinkthere'ssomethingaboutourhistory,likeourclimate,ourlandscape,that'snaturallymoderate,notgiventoearthquakesandrevolutions.AHistoryofBritain02.Conquest第2页，共22页Buttherearetimesandplaceswhenhistory,Britishhistory,comesatyouwitharush,violent,decisive,bloody-atruckloadoftroubleknockingyoudown,wipingouteverythingthatgivesyouyourbearings:Law,custom,loyaltyandlanguage.Andthisisoneofthoseplaces.Iknowitdoesn'tlooklikethesiteofanationaltrauma.Thesedaysitlooksmoresuitableforacountyfairthanamassslaughter.ButthisisthebattlefieldofHastings,andhereonekindofEnglandwasannihilatedandanotherkindofEnglandwassetupinitsplace.SomehistorianssaythatformostpeopleofEnglandHastingsdidn'tmatterthatmuch,that1066wasmostlyamatterofreplacingSaxonlordswithNormanknights.Peasantsstillploughedtheirfieldsandpaidtaxestotheking,prayedtoavoidpovertyandpestilenceandwatchedtheseasonsrollround.Buttheeverydaycanrubshoulderswiththecatastrophic.Thegrassgrewgreenagain,buttherewerebonesbeneaththebuttercupsandanentiregoverningclassoftheEnglishhadbeendispossessed,theirmen,landandanimalstakenfromthemandgivenasspoilstothevictoriousforeigners.YoucouldsurviveandstillbeEnglishbutnowyoubelongedtoaninferiorrace,theconquered.YoulivedinEnglandbutitwasnolongeryourcountry.Anglo-SaxonEnglandwasnostrangertoinvasions.Vikingraidshadbeenpartoflifeforacentury,butsincethedaysofAlfredtheGreat,itwasacountrystableenoughtosoakthemup.Longboatscameandwentbutstilltheking'slawrantheshires.Hischurchesandabbeyswerebuiltmorebeautifullythanever,andatownthatwouldonedaybecalledLondonwasbeginningtogrowandprosperonthebanksoftheThames.Thenoneinvasionsucceededwheretheothershadfailed,andtherewasaVikingonthethrone.HisnamewasCanute,themanwerememberfortryingtoholdbackthetides.AHistoryofBritain02.Conquest第3页，共22页WhileheturnedAnglo-SaxonEnglandintopartofhisvastmaritimeempire,hewentoutofhiswaytochangenothing.HeevenchoseashisclosestadvisoroneofthemostpowerfulAnglo-Saxonnobles,Godwine,EarlofWessex.Ascheming,ruthlessman,Godwinebecamevirtualco-rulerwithCanuteoverwhatwasstillrecognisablyAnglo-SaxonEngland.ButwithCanute'sdeathin1035beganachainofeventsthatwouldculminateintheoneinvasionthatAnglo-SaxonEnglandwouldbeunabletoswallow.Andwhatasagaitwas.ItstartedwithabloodyandunsparingfightforCanute'sthroneamongstthesurvivingelite.Treachery,murderandmutilationwereparforthecourse.ThelastmanstandingwithanykindofclaimtothethronewasadescendantofAlfredtheGreat,aprinceoftheSaxonroyalhouse.CalledEdward,hewouldbecomeforeverknownasTheConfessor.HewascrownedonEasterDay,1043.Heinheritedmorethanjustthecrown.HealsogotEarlGodwine,innomoodtolosepowerjustbecausetherewasanewking.UnlikeCanute,Edwardhadgoodreasontohatetheright-handmanforcedonhim.ForGodwinehadarrangedhisolderbrother'smurder.Therewasnothinghecoulddoabouthisbloodstainedrival,notyetanyway.HeknewthatGodwineheldthekeystothekingdom.WhenGodwineofferedEdwardhisdaughterinmarriage,whatcouldhedobuttakeher?GodwinewasnotEdward'sonlyproblem.He'dalsotolearnhowtogovernacountryheknewlittleabout.Forhe'dgrownupinexileinaverydifferentworldacrosstheEnglishChannelinNormandy.WethinkofEdwardtheConfessorasthequintessentialAnglo-Saxonking.Infact,hewasalmostasNormanasWilliamtheConqueror.AHistoryofBritain02.Conquest第4页，共22页Afterall,hismotherEmmawasaNormanandhe'dlivedhereinNormandyfor30years,eversinceshe'dbroughthimasachildrefugeefromthewarsbetweentheSaxonsandtheDanes.ButNormandywasnotjustanasylumforEdward,itwastheplacewhichformedhimpoliticallyandculturally.HismothertonguewasNormanFrench.HisvirtualgodfathersweretheformidableDukesofNormandy.TheNormansweredescendantsofVikingraiders,buthadlongsincetradedintheirlongboatsforpowerfulwar-horses.TheDuchyofNormandywasinnosensejustapieceofFrance.ThoughtheDukesdidformalhomagetothekingsofFrance,theywerefiercelyindependent,possessedofcastles,patronsofchurches.Thesewarlordswereconstantlyinthesaddleimposingtheirwillonvassals,fightingoffrevoltsandforgingshakycoalitions.Buttheduchywasalsohummingwithenergeticpiet