' s ▁amb itions ▁for ▁the ▁English ▁throne . ▁ ▁When ▁King ▁Edward ▁died ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 1 0 6 6 , ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁a ▁clear ▁he ir ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁disput ed ▁succession ▁in ▁which ▁several ▁cont enders ▁laid ▁claim ▁to ▁the ▁throne ▁of ▁England . ▁Edward ' s ▁immediate ▁successor ▁was ▁the ▁Earl ▁of ▁W esse x , ▁Harold ▁God win son , ▁the ▁rich est ▁and ▁most ▁powerful ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁arist ocr ats . ▁Harold ▁was ▁elected ▁king ▁by ▁the ▁W iten agem ot ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁crown ed ▁by ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁York , ▁E ald red , ▁although ▁Norman ▁propag anda ▁claimed ▁the ▁ceremony ▁was ▁performed ▁by ▁St ig and , ▁the ▁un can on ically ▁elected ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Can ter bury . ▁Harold ▁was ▁immediately ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁two ▁powerful ▁neighbour ing ▁r ul ers . ▁Duke ▁William ▁claimed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁promised ▁the ▁throne ▁by ▁King ▁Edward ▁and ▁that ▁Harold ▁had ▁sw orn ▁agreement ▁to ▁this ; ▁King ▁Har ald ▁III ▁of ▁Norway , ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁Har ald ▁Hard r ada , ▁also ▁cont ested ▁the ▁succession . ▁His ▁claim ▁to ▁the ▁throne ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁an ▁agreement ▁between ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁Magn us ▁I ▁of ▁Norway ▁and ▁the ▁earlier ▁English ▁king , ▁Har th ac nut , ▁where by ▁if ▁either ▁died ▁without ▁he ir , ▁the ▁other ▁would ▁inherit ▁both ▁England ▁and ▁Norway . ▁William ▁and ▁Har ald ▁at ▁once ▁set ▁about ▁assemb ling ▁troops