A Pope's Lost Letter Could Change How We Understand the Battle of Hastings

A newly discovered letter from Pope Alexander II could rewrite our understanding of the Battle of Hastings, the pivotal Norman Conquest that took place in 1066. Historians have long viewed the battle as a domestic struggle between King Harold Godwinson and William, Duke of Normandy, but this lost papal document suggests the conflict may have extended all the way to Rome.

The letter, preserved in a medieval canon law collection at the Vatican, reveals a power struggle between two rival popes in the early 1060s. Alexander II and Bishop Cadalus of Parma, known as Honorius II, were both elected as popes, leading to a bitter conflict over control of Rome. Pope Alexander II, backed by the Holy Roman Empire and northern Europe, needed support from England to win his dispute.

According to research from the University of East Anglia, King Harold may have sided with Honorius II over Alexander II. The disgruntled pope, in turn, reportedly supported William, Duke of Normandy, in his invasion of England. The letter sheds light on why Pope Alexander II might have advocated for the violent overthrow of an already anointed king like Harold. If Harold had supported Alexander's rivals, it could explain why the pope chose to back the Norman invasion.

In the pope's eyes, the conflict had evolved from a battle for a crown to a struggle against those they regarded as followers of Satan. It wasn't simply about a succession dispute, but part of a wider struggle over the future of the Church in Europe. This newly uncovered letter provides insight into the political motivations behind the pope's support for William, Duke of Normandy, and helps explain the broader context of the Battle of Hastings beyond the battlefield itself.