 Harold akatarisana nokutyisidzirwa kwaibva kumukuru weNormandy, kubva kuna mambo weNorway, uye kubva kuvapambi veWales vangangodaro, asi wokutanga kuita chiito akanga ari munununa wake Tostig, uyo muchirimo cha1066 akavamba kupamba paIsle of Wight nenzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana pamhenderekedzo yegungwa yokumabvazuva kweEngland asati atambura kukundwa kwakakomba muLincolnshire ndokupotera muScotland. Harold, achitarisira kupinda kwaWilliam weNormandy, akaenda kumahombekombe ekumaodzanyemba kunogadzirira kuzvidzivirira kwake, asi musi wa8 Gunyana, asingakwanise kupa masimba ake zvakare, akamanikidzwa kuapedza. Mumwedzi iwoyo, Harald Hardrada akabva kuNorway achiedza kutora korona yeEngland, achifamba nechikepe achipfuura neShetland neOrkney uye achibatana naTostig parwizi Tyne, uko wekupedzisira akamushandira semumwe wevaridzi vake. Pamwe chete vakarwisa uto reNorthumbrian paFulford muYorkshire, vakakunda zvachose, ndokutora guta reYork. Harold Godwinson akakurumidza kudzosa mauto ake uye nekumanikidzwa kufamba akakwanisa kushamisika mauto aHarald naTostig kuStamford Bridge musi wa25 Gunyana, mazuva mashanu chete mushure mehondo yeFulford, uye akavakunda zvine mutsindo. Akabvumira vapukunyuki vashomanana, kusanganisira vanakomana vaTostig, Skule naKetel, kudzokera norugare kuNorway. Mazuva matatu gare gare Duke William akaburitsa ngarava dzake dzokupinda muPevensey muSussex, akabva aenda kuHastings ndokutanga kuparadza misha yeSussex, chikamu chehurumende yekare yaHarold yeWessex. Ikoku kwakasvitsa mugumisiro wakanga warongwa wokunyandura Harold kuenda kumaodzanyemba nokukurumidza zvikuru. Pana October 14 mauto maviri akasangana makiromita gumi nemaviri kuchamhembe kweHastings, uko guta reBattle zvino riri. Harold, achiperekedzwa nevanununa vake Gyrth naLeofwine, akatungamirira uto rakanga rava kuneta zvikuru uye rakanga risingakwanisi kumira pakurwiswazve nevaNorman. Pakupera kwezuva racho uto raHarold rakanga rakundwa chose chose, vakoma vatatu vose vakanga vafa, uye kuparadzwa kweEngland yeAnglo-Saxon kwakanga kwaitwa. 