A search is one to find the heir to the English throne - the ancestors of the person who may have been Monarch had William the Conqueror lost the Battle of Hastings.
This person could be living anywhere in the world...
Worldwide quest to find heir to throne - if 1066 had not happened
11th January 2007
William the Conqueror: Who would have been on the throne if he had not been victorious?
The search is on today for the heir to the English throne.
Historical experts have launched a worldwide quest to track down ancestors of those who might have been king, had William the Conqueror not won the Battle of Hastings.
English Heritage wants people who can trace their family tree back to 1066 to get in touch. An advert has been placed in newspapers across the globe from New York and the UK to Australia, Germany and Norway.
The appeal asks: "Can you trace your family tree back to 1066? Might your ancestors have claimed the English throne? Are you of Edgar the Aetheling's lineage and believe you have a legitimate claim? We would like to hear from you."
It adds: "If you have documentary evidence that your family could, theoretically, make a claim on the English crown, we would be interested to hear from you."
Dr Tracy Borman, of English Heritage, said they were looking for people with links to Edward the Confessor, Edgar the Aetheling and King Harold, although connections to other noble families could also prove important.
"They are the three main players. But, having said that, the monarchy in those days wasn't necessarily hereditary," Dr Borman said.
"It came down to who had the biggest armies and most charisma. If people think their families were important nobles, they could have connections as well. It was more of a free-for-all then.
"William the Conqueror was a foreign claimant. He changed the Saxon dynasty to a Norman one. "We're looking at what could have happened if William the Conqueror had not won the Battle of Hastings and King Harold hadn't been killed by an arrow in the eye.
"There could be millions of people, but I think it will be narrowed down. People have to provide documentary evidence."
Dr Borman said the current Queen need not worry. "The crown hasn't just been hereditary. In 1688, there was the Glorious Revolution when Parliament decided who was king (the Crown went to the Protestant Dutchman, William of Orange, who became King William III after the Catholic James II went on the run). So the Queen's safe. We're not setting up a rival Queen. We're just tracing the would-be heir to the throne."
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The death of Edward the Confessor in 1066, leaving no children, led to conflict over the rightful heir to the English throne and ultimately to the Battle of Hastings. Edgar the Aetheling - the "lost king" of England - was chosen as monarch but never crowned.
He was a direct descendent of Alfred the Great and the great-nephew of Edward the Confessor, but was only 10 years old at the time
Harold Godwinson, a powerful nobleman, was chosen by the Witan council instead and became King Harold II.
But William the Conqueror's invasion and victory at the Battle of Hastings saw Harold killed and William take the throne.
The research marks the opening of a new £2.3 million visitor centre at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield in East Sussex next month, when the new "king" or "queen" is likely to be unveiled.
Respondents have to submit documentary evidence supporting their lineage, along with the name of their most likely "gateway ancestor".
A panel of expert genealogists will scrutinise the claims to the throne. One of the historians, Dr Nick Barratt, from the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? series, said:
"If William the Conqueror had not taken the throne in 1066, the entire course of English history would have been very different - we'd probably be speaking a different language (much more similar to German than it is now with few French-derived words), consider our closest allies to be Scandinavian, and have a completely different system of government. Who knows? We may even be a republic by now."
The adverts are appearing in The Times, The Scotsman, the New York Times, The Australian, Die Welt in Germany and Norway's Aftenposten.
More information on the new "1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield" visitor centre, which opens on 9th February, can be found at www.english-heritage.org.uk/hastings
England - 1066
At the time, England had been formed of many small kingdoms and the Saxons saw themselves as a number of different countries ruled by one English King - Edward the Confessor (eventually, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms unified to form what is now England). His death in 1066, with no offspring, led to conflict over the rightful heir to the English throne, which in turn led to the Battle of Hastings.
King Harold
Harold Godwinson's claim to the throne of England was not based on a strong blood tie, although his sister Edith had married Edward the Confessor.
Harold, an Anglo Saxon, was the Earl of Wessex, one of the most powerful Nobles in England, and the Witan (a council consisting of 60 of England's most powerful nobles) offered the crown to him in preference to all other contenders.
Edgar the Aetheling
Edgar was a direct descendent of Alfred the Great, the most respected of all Anglo-Saxon Kings, and was the rightful heir to Edward the Confessor. Although he should have been crowned King of England, he was only ten years old when Edward died, did not have the support of the Witan and was not considered strong enough to defend the country against the Normans and the Vikings. He did not stand a chance against the power and
might of Harold Godwinson.
dailymail.co.uk
This person could be living anywhere in the world...
Worldwide quest to find heir to throne - if 1066 had not happened
11th January 2007
William the Conqueror: Who would have been on the throne if he had not been victorious?
The search is on today for the heir to the English throne.
Historical experts have launched a worldwide quest to track down ancestors of those who might have been king, had William the Conqueror not won the Battle of Hastings.
English Heritage wants people who can trace their family tree back to 1066 to get in touch. An advert has been placed in newspapers across the globe from New York and the UK to Australia, Germany and Norway.
The appeal asks: "Can you trace your family tree back to 1066? Might your ancestors have claimed the English throne? Are you of Edgar the Aetheling's lineage and believe you have a legitimate claim? We would like to hear from you."
It adds: "If you have documentary evidence that your family could, theoretically, make a claim on the English crown, we would be interested to hear from you."
Dr Tracy Borman, of English Heritage, said they were looking for people with links to Edward the Confessor, Edgar the Aetheling and King Harold, although connections to other noble families could also prove important.
"They are the three main players. But, having said that, the monarchy in those days wasn't necessarily hereditary," Dr Borman said.
"It came down to who had the biggest armies and most charisma. If people think their families were important nobles, they could have connections as well. It was more of a free-for-all then.
"William the Conqueror was a foreign claimant. He changed the Saxon dynasty to a Norman one. "We're looking at what could have happened if William the Conqueror had not won the Battle of Hastings and King Harold hadn't been killed by an arrow in the eye.
"There could be millions of people, but I think it will be narrowed down. People have to provide documentary evidence."
Dr Borman said the current Queen need not worry. "The crown hasn't just been hereditary. In 1688, there was the Glorious Revolution when Parliament decided who was king (the Crown went to the Protestant Dutchman, William of Orange, who became King William III after the Catholic James II went on the run). So the Queen's safe. We're not setting up a rival Queen. We're just tracing the would-be heir to the throne."
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The death of Edward the Confessor in 1066, leaving no children, led to conflict over the rightful heir to the English throne and ultimately to the Battle of Hastings. Edgar the Aetheling - the "lost king" of England - was chosen as monarch but never crowned.
He was a direct descendent of Alfred the Great and the great-nephew of Edward the Confessor, but was only 10 years old at the time
Harold Godwinson, a powerful nobleman, was chosen by the Witan council instead and became King Harold II.
But William the Conqueror's invasion and victory at the Battle of Hastings saw Harold killed and William take the throne.
The research marks the opening of a new £2.3 million visitor centre at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield in East Sussex next month, when the new "king" or "queen" is likely to be unveiled.
Respondents have to submit documentary evidence supporting their lineage, along with the name of their most likely "gateway ancestor".
A panel of expert genealogists will scrutinise the claims to the throne. One of the historians, Dr Nick Barratt, from the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? series, said:
"If William the Conqueror had not taken the throne in 1066, the entire course of English history would have been very different - we'd probably be speaking a different language (much more similar to German than it is now with few French-derived words), consider our closest allies to be Scandinavian, and have a completely different system of government. Who knows? We may even be a republic by now."
The adverts are appearing in The Times, The Scotsman, the New York Times, The Australian, Die Welt in Germany and Norway's Aftenposten.
More information on the new "1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield" visitor centre, which opens on 9th February, can be found at www.english-heritage.org.uk/hastings
England - 1066
At the time, England had been formed of many small kingdoms and the Saxons saw themselves as a number of different countries ruled by one English King - Edward the Confessor (eventually, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms unified to form what is now England). His death in 1066, with no offspring, led to conflict over the rightful heir to the English throne, which in turn led to the Battle of Hastings.
King Harold
Harold Godwinson's claim to the throne of England was not based on a strong blood tie, although his sister Edith had married Edward the Confessor.
Harold, an Anglo Saxon, was the Earl of Wessex, one of the most powerful Nobles in England, and the Witan (a council consisting of 60 of England's most powerful nobles) offered the crown to him in preference to all other contenders.
Edgar the Aetheling
Edgar was a direct descendent of Alfred the Great, the most respected of all Anglo-Saxon Kings, and was the rightful heir to Edward the Confessor. Although he should have been crowned King of England, he was only ten years old when Edward died, did not have the support of the Witan and was not considered strong enough to defend the country against the Normans and the Vikings. He did not stand a chance against the power and
might of Harold Godwinson.
dailymail.co.uk
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