Harold I ('Harefoot'), King of England 1035-1040

d. 17 March 1040

Harold was the illegitimate son of King Cnut and his English mistress Aelfgifu. On his father's death, in 1035, Harold was elected regent by the Witan (the King's council of the highest nobles and clergy) while Harthacnut, his rival for the throne and half-brother, was in Denmark. The comprise, which allowed Emma, Harthacnut's mother, to maintain a royal household in Winchester and to look after the interests of her son, was overturned by Harold's swift action in seizing the treasury in Winchester and claiming the crown as his.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles record little of note during Harold's reign except for the murder of the atheling Alfred, son of Aethelred and Emma. We are told that Earl Godwin of Wessex ordered the act because as an erstwhile supporter of Harthacnut he wanted to win the favour of Harold by killing a potential rival to his crown.

Harold forced Emma into exiled in 1037 and secured his position as king. But only his death in 1040 spared England from civil war because Harthacnut had assembled a substantial invasion force in Flanders. Harold died childless and Harthacnut was invited to become king.

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