Lost Papal Letter Links 1066 Invasion to Rome's Internal Power Struggle
A previously overlooked excerpt from a papal letter in the Vatican archives suggests Pope Alexander II supported William the Conqueror’s 1066 invasion of England not just for dynastic claims, but to punish English alignment with his rival, the antipope Honorius II. Professor Tom Licence of the University of East Anglia argues this reframes the Battle of Hastings as part of a broader ecclesiastical power struggle, rather than solely a contest between King Harold II and William of Normandy. The findings, detailed in Licence’s new book 'Harold: Warrior King,' indicate that Alexander viewed England’s leadership as an 'evil head' leading the nation astray, potentially using the Norman invasion to enforce regime change and restore papal authority in the region.