September 1066 - An invasion fleet led by Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, bolstered by troops from the Orkneys and supported by Tostig, exiled brother of
King Harold capture the major northern city of York. The leaders of that city promise to support Harald's claim to the throne.
20th September - At the Battle of Gate Fulford Harald's forces beat an army led by Edwin and Morcar, Earls of Mercia and Northumbria. After the battle Harald send out scouting parties to give him prior warning of any English counter-offensive (in OTL far fewer scouts were sent out). Eventually these scouts catch sight of Harold's army and rush back giving Harald time to prepare his defences.
25th September - Harald and Harold clash at Stamford Bridge. Harald's preparations stand him in good stead and he utterly defeats Harold who dies towards the end of the battle.
26th September - Harald is acclaimed as King of England by his army and such northern nobles as are in York.
27th - William of Normandy's invasion fleet lands in southern England. The fact that a large part of the English army went north with Harold means there is
little opposition as William quickly moves to London (It should be noted at this point that William's invasion had papal backing)
30th - William arrives in London. The southern nobles, after toying with making Edgar Atheling (a relation of Edward the Confessor) decide to treat William's claim as a fait accompli.
2nd October - William is crowned King of England by Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury. Edwin and Morcar and most other southern nobles swear allegiance to
William. Those few that don't accept him leave London, some go to theirs home territories and some go north to join Harald.
October 4-end of year - Harald and William move to consolidate their hold on "their" kingdom. It is easier for Harald as the men of northern England have never had much time for those from the south. William has more difficulty as he has to deal with minor rebellions led by such members of Harold's family as still have a following.
November 2nd - Pope Alexander II who had given backing to William's invasion further supports William by threatening to excommunicate Harald unless he accepts William as 'King of All England'
Nov 7th - Harald defies the Papal demand saying he gained his kingdom by the sword and that would be the only way he would lose it.
Nov 13th - The Pope goes through with his threat and excommunicates Harald, stating that anyone who took up arms against him (Harald) would have Papal backing.
December 1st - William, with the backing of the Pope, replaces Archbishop Stigand with Robert of Jumieges, a Norman who had been Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Edward the Confessor.
December-Year's end - William starts to parcel out land to his supporters. The closer the land is to the border with Harald the greater the loyalty of the
supporter who gets it.
Harald, though publicly full of confidence, worries about the results of his excommunication. He embarks on two courses of action. Firstly he orders a series
of outposts built along the border with William. Secondly he makes contact with the Welsh princes to ask whether they would be interested in an alliance.
January 1067 - William calls for reinforcements from Normandy. A mere trickle comes over, a few second sons of minor nobles. The territory of another group of Normans in southern Italy is seen as more rewarding.
February - Harald's embassies to the Welsh princes begin to bear fruit. Prince Bleddyn ap Cynfyn of Gwynedd expresses and interest in invading part of
William's territory.
Swegn Estrithson, King of Denmark starts to claim that he is the true king of England of. Arguably he has a better claim to the throne than Harald or William. as he is the nephew of Cnut who was king from 1016 to 1035.
9 March - Bleddyn's army crosses the border. The Norman troops who face him have to fight on two fronts. As part of an agreement some Norwegian troops also make a cross-border raid.
11 March - As a result of the Welsh attack the Norman need for reinforcements becomes more desperate. William sends an urgent message to Pope Alexander asking that he uses his power to aid the call for reinforcements.
30 March - William's messenger arrives in Rome.
3 April - Pope Alexander issues a proclamation that William is blessed by the Church and that anyone who travels to England to help him can treat it as penance equal to a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Alexander hopes that this proclamation will partly weaken the 'Italian' Normans. They are nominally his vassals but he feel they are too strong.
May - Edgar Atheling and his sister Margaret disappear from William's England. They do not trust William's promises of their safety. Within weeks their are
reported sightings all over Europe.
June - The sons of Harold II realise that there is no future for them in either of the Englands. They gather such supporters as are still loyal to their family
and leave to make a new life elsewhere.
July - Mareddud ab Awain, Prince of Dyfed (south and west Wales) takes advantage of Bleddyn's invasion of England to launch some cross-border raid into Gwynedd.
This has little to do with events elsewhere and everything to do with the longstanding rivalry between Dyfed and Gwynedd.
1068
Edgar Atheling and Margaret turn up at the court of Malcolm, King of Scotland. (the same Malcolm that appears in Macbeth)
Most countries in Britain indulge in some cross border raids but there are no major battles.
1069 Malcolm of Scotland marries Margaret and declares his support for Edgar's claim to the English throne. Most observers see this as merely cover for possible raids into England. English in the north of Harald's territory are well used to Scottish cross-border raids.
1070 Mareddud of Dyfed launches a full-scale invasion of Gwynedd, upping the stakes somewhat. Prominent Normans have been seen at Mareddud's court. Harald is
unable to give much assistance to Bleddyn of Gwynedd as he is keeping his eye on the border with Scotland.
