The world: historical and actual . -cal plays of that su-preme genius areof in-calculable value fromthe standpoint of Brit-ish history, affordingas they do wonderfulinsight into the spiritof the times. ButEdwards most mem-orable act was notsuccoring Malcolm ofScotland. It was be-stowing his kingdomupon his cousin Will-iam of was his partial-ity for the Normansthat he wished to besucceeded by one oftheir number. Atleast William himselfset up this claim, andnot without some showof truth. However,in his last hours Ed-ward bestowed thecrown upon EarlHarold, son of Godwin, but, unfort
The world: historical and actual . -cal plays of that su-preme genius areof in-calculable value fromthe standpoint of Brit-ish history, affordingas they do wonderfulinsight into the spiritof the times. ButEdwards most mem-orable act was notsuccoring Malcolm ofScotland. It was be-stowing his kingdomupon his cousin Will-iam of was his partial-ity for the Normansthat he wished to besucceeded by one oftheir number. Atleast William himselfset up this claim, andnot without some showof truth. However,in his last hours Ed-ward bestowed thecrown upon EarlHarold, son of Godwin, but, unfortunately , thelatter had once been shipwrecked upon the Nor-man coast, and while held a prisoner he signeda complete renunciation of all claim to the En-glish crown in favor of Duke William. When,therefore, Harold came to the throne William de-manded compliance with the promise made. TheSaxon persisted that the pledge was exacted of himunder duress and was not binding. William there-upon gathered his forces and invaded England. The. battle of Hastings was the result. That battle oc-curred in 106(5. In it Harold was slain and his armyput to utter rout. The Saxon cause was lost, irrev-ocably. What the folly of Edward the Confessorhad begun the sword of William the Conquerorfinished. We have now seen the Briton give place to the Anglo-Saxon, and thelatter assimilate theDane, and now stillanother element wasintroduced into theEnglish race, the lastof all, for the Nor-man was the finalreally foreign ingredi-ent in the strictly En-glish blood. In thetask of making onepeople out of manyEngland has showna wonderful power,and the work of as-similation is still goingon in other parts ofthe British islands, es-pecially in Scotland ;but the Saxons whowere so ingloriouslyconquered at Hastingshave proved the realmasters of the situa-tion. Notwithstand-ing the politicalchange made, Englandremained English, andthe Norman, like theDane, gradually losthis identity, merged inthat of the descendant
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectworldhistory, bookyea
