After the death of Edward the Confessor, the Anglo-Saxon king revered for his piety, the Witan, which was a council of nobles and clergy, gathered to address the question of succession. Harold Godwinson, a prominent noble and the Earl of Wessex, was swiftly recognized as King of England due to his familial ties to Edward and previous oaths purportedly made to him. His coronation took place at Westminster Abbey, where he took an oath to uphold the traditions and laws of the land. This immediate confirmation of Harold’s kingship, however, was met with tension. The presidency of the Witan underscored the importance of noble consensus in the governance of England. The expedient nature of the coronation illustrated the urgency of establishing a strong leadership in the face of external threats and the recognition of internal factions vying for power.

The backdrop of Harold's ascent accompanied a growing tensions, particularly with William, Duke of Normandy, who claimed that Edward had promised him the throne. This competing claim ignited a fierce rivalry, emphasizing that Harold’s reign was inherently unstable. The absence of a clear line of succession within the royal family compounded these issues, as there were few mechanisms to address disputes between competing factions. Harold’s immediate challenges included military threats from the north and rebellion from local rulers, making his position precarious from the outset. The events of that day were pivotal; it marked not just the elevation of Harold Godwinson to the throne but also laid the foundation for one of the most transformative conflicts in English history.