Lost letter from the Pope casts 1066 as a holy war against ‘followers of Satan
A lost letter from the Pope could rewrite the story of 1066 – according to research from the University of East Anglia.
Excerpts from the letter are now held in the Vatican archives and they suggest that a power struggle in Rome helped shape the Norman Conquest.
Analysis shows that King Harold may have forfeited his crown long before the Battle of Hastings by backing the wrong side in a bitter struggle between two rival popes. And that the outcome of 1066 may have been shaped as much by political conflict in Rome as by events on the battlefield at Hastings.
The findings are published today by Yale University Press in a new book titled 'Harold: Warrior King', by UEA historian Prof Tom Licence.
They come as the British Museum prepares to open its blockbuster exhibition featuring the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most famous surviving artefacts from the Norman Conquest.
A time of not one, but two popes
In the 1060s, Western Christendom was divided by a rift that saw two rival popes claiming authority. According to the new research, England's support for one faction may have helped persuade Pope Alexander II to back William of Normandy's invasion.
It suggests England's backing for one side of the dispute may have had far-reaching consequences.
Prof Tom Licence, Professor of Medieval History and Literature at UEA, said: "1066 was not simply decided on the battlefield at Hastings. The outcome may also have been shaped by decisions taken almost a thousand miles away in Rome."
For centuries, the Norman Conquest has largely been understood as a dynastic struggle sparked by the death of Edward the Confessor and rival claims to the English throne.
Now, Prof Licence argues that a contemporary letter from the Pope points to a muchwider political and religious struggle stretching across medieval Europe.
He said: "Harold's policy on the papacy may ultimately have played into the hands of his enemies, giving William's opportunistic invasion the legitimacy of a just war."
New evidence from the Vatican
The new findings centre on previously overlooked excerpts from a lost letter from the Pope preserved in a medieval canon law collection held in the Vatican.
“The Pope's whole register of letters is lost,” said Prof Licence. “But some survive as copies or excerpts. Two excerpts from this particular letter survive in collections of papal rescripts.”
Written by Pope Alexander II after William's accession, the letter reflects on England's relationship with the papacy before the conquest.
In one passage, Alexander claimed that England had been under the protection of St Peter until people “fired with the pride of their father Satan” led the English away from “the path of truth”.
“While historians have occasionally noted these remarks, they have generally treated them as unexplained references,” said Prof Licence.
“But they can only be fully understood in the context of a fierce dispute that divided Western Christendom during the early 1060s.
“In 1061, rival factions elected two competing popes, Alexander II and Bishop Cadalus of Parma, who became known as Honorius II.
“For several years the two popes and their supporters fought for control of Rome, with Honorius retaining powerful backing from the Holy Roman Empire and attracting support elsewhere in northern Europe.”
According to Prof Licence, the language used in Alexander's letter reflects the political and religious rhetoric employed against Honorius and his followers during the rift.
Rather than simply condemning Harold as an oath-breaker, Alexander appears to have been accusing England of abandoning his cause and siding with his rival.
Prof Licence said: “In the eyes of Pope Alexander's supporters, it was no longer simply a battle for a crown, but a struggle against those they regarded as followers of Satan."
Answering a long-standing historical puzzle
Prof Licence believes this shift likely occurred after Harold came to power in January 1066.
He said: "Historians have traditionally explained papal support for William through Harold's disputed claim to the throne and allegations of oath breaking.
“What this evidence suggests is that Pope Alexander II may have had political reasons of his own for backing the Norman invasion.
"If Harold had aligned England with Alexander's rivals, it would help explain why the pope was willing to support the overthrow of a crowned king. Viewed from Rome, the conquest was not simply a succession dispute but part of a wider struggle over the future of the Church in Europe."
Prof Licence argues that this interpretation helps answer a longstanding historical question - why would a pope support the violent overthrow of an anointed king?
Was the Norman Conquest decided in Rome, not Hastings?
Rather than simply backing William because of Harold's disputed claim to the throne, Pope Alexander II may have been motivated by a wider political struggle taking place across Europe.
According to Prof Licence's research, England's support for a rival papal faction could have influenced the pope's decision to support the Norman invasion.
The findings suggest the Norman Conquest was about more than a battle for the English crown. Instead, 1066 may have formed part of a much larger contest involving the papacy, the Holy Roman Empire and competing power blocs across medieval Europe.
Prof David Fergusson, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, said: “Tom Licence’s research on the European context of the Norman invasion offers us a fresh perspective on the wider political currents that contributed to the events of 1066.
“His account of the likely role of the papacy in legitimising William’s invasion illustrates the complex dynamics of the relationship between church and monarchy throughout the period. This is a significant contribution to our understanding of the role of the medieval Church in the wider history of Europe.”
Prof Rory Naismith, Professor of Early Medieval English History at the University of Cambridge, said: “This is indeed an important point. The Norman Conquest did not just involve the English and the Normans - it was tied to developments all over Europe.
“Rome in particular had long been central to England's religious identity, and to have brought out the Roman dimension of 1066 in this way is a significant contribution.
“Prof Licence shows what can be achieved when neglected sources are expertly brought out of the shadows,” he added. ENDS