I Am the Chosen King
January 30th, 2012
Please welcome my lovely and talented friend, author Helen Hollick. As a lover of all things British history, I was thrilled to see her book, I Am the Chosen King, which tells the English point of view of the Norman invasion. Not many books do, and it’s a tale worth telling … and reading. Welcome, Helen!
Hello – it’s lovely to be here. I’m going to talk about my novel I Am The Chosen King, which is about King Harold II and the Battle of Hastings – 1066. Please note that this is the US title – in the UK the book is called Harold the King. It is the same book – but with a different title and cover.
Transport us to the place and time your terrific book is set in.
On October 14th 1066 there was a huge battle that took place about seven miles from the southern coast of England. The nearest town was Hastings, which is why we call it the Battle of Hastings. In fact, the battle was fought along the ridge atop a steep hill where there was nothing but marsh on one side, deep forest on the other – and a track passing through open meadow up and over the hill heading towards the open country of the South Weald and eventually, London.
Who fought in this battle? The King of England, Harold Godwinsson and his army were attempting to defeat a foreign invading army of Normans led by Duke William. The battle was unique for its period because it raged all day – it began soon after 9 a.m. and only ended at dusk, when Harold and most of his bodyguard lay dead.
Three times did Duke William’s men trudge up that steep, steep hill to face the fierce men of the English army who had arrayed themselves as a living wall of men and shields and weapons along the ridge. Three times Duke William was unhorse – once his men thought he was dead. But their number and strength was just too much for the brave English to hold back. Four of William’s men broke through the depleted ranks of the English and hacked Harold to pieces.
William took the victory, the crown and the kingdom – and the freedom of the English – to reign as a usurping king. Thus, the rule of the Normans overthrew Saxon England. William built an abbey on the battle site – and the village that sprang up around it was called Battle. The abbey and the battlefield can still be seen today. Every October a re-enactment takes place there. It is well worth a visit.
That is the history lesson; most of what we know was written down by the victors, the Normans, but their view was biased – media spin doctoring and propaganda is nothing new! I wanted to strip away that propaganda and write the story of why the battle happened. What caused such dreadful turmoil and who were the people involved. What motivated them; what made them laugh, cry, hate and love?
My novel is not just about a battle – it is about the people involved in the events that led to it.
What do you, and what will we, love about your hero and heroine? Bring them to life for us, these nearly 1000 years later.
Harold Godwinsson – King Harold II of England – is at first glance an odd person to portray as a hero. After all, he lost the battle against Duke William of Normandy at a place seven miles from Hastings, on October 14th 1066. So why is a loser my hero?
The answer is simple; he was a brave man, our legal, legitimately crowned King who gave his life defending his people and his Kingdom against a foreign usurper.
His “common law” wife, Edyth Swanneck was his partner and mother to at least six children for over twenty years, he only set her aside when he became king and had to make a political marriage of alliance with the Earldoms of the north of England – yet it was Edyth who went with him to face the Norman army, and she who had to identify his mutilated remains on the day after the battle.
How did she have the courage to do that?
I wrote the novel about these two remarkable people because I felt it was time that the story was told from the English point of view.
I agree completely which is why I was thrilled to discover your book. Is there something in that era that you are glad we have moved beyond, and something you wish we could reclaim?
I would like to have been able to say that in almost 1,000 years of history we have moved beyond fighting and wars and men dying “for a cause”. Sadly, war is as rife now as it was back then.
I wish we could reclaim the 14th October 1066 and fight the battle again. If I had a time machine I would go back and advise Harold to fortify his shield wall and take extra care not to let the Normans break through.
If Harold had won that day, not William, our entire history – including that of America – would be completely different.
Incredible how one battle can change the course of destiny for so many. What piqued and held your interest in this subject and your angle on it?
I was increasingly frustrated that English history books always seemed to start at 1066 with the Norman Conquest. Our Kings and Queens are numbered from Duke William – but we have just as much a rich and interesting history before 1066.
I also wanted to strip away the Norman propaganda that was written by the victors. William had no right to the English throne, Harold II was our legitimate King – killed on the battlefield by an invading army.
I decided to write the story from the English point of view and set the record straight a little. Harold is also a local hero, for I live close to Waltham Abbey, Essex. He founded the original abbey (the one that is there now was built a couple of centuries later)
Most authors, once they have written their book move on to the next and start researching that, become involved in the new set of characters, who they were, what they did etc. This is so for me as I am currently writing a series of historical adventures that have a dash of fantasy in them – The Sea Witch Voyages, my main character being a charmer of a rogue, a handsome pirate. I write these books for light-hearted fun, they are not meant to be taken seriously. The great thing about them, unlike the straight historicals, my character gets to stay alive at the end of the book!
However, I am still very much interested in King Harold II as I am involved with a proposed movie. 1066 is to be a UK made movie depicting the events that led to the Battle of Hastings – again from the English point of view. While it is not actually based on my novel, it is based on historical fact – and as I am also co-screenplay writer obviously there is a lot of my novel and my influence in the story line.
We intend to be as accurate as we can, while also being entertaining (this is a movie, not a documentary) although we hope to include a documentary in with the movie DVD package.
At the moment we are still looking for funding, but that will come. We have cast several characters and already the movie is generating interest and excitement – so watch this space!
For more information go to 1066 IMDB www.imdb.com/title/tt1018103 and/or
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HaroldGodwinsson
A movie! I can’t wait! Sounds like an excellent date night. Any fun factoid you discovered in your research?
Yes, but this was for the previous book The Forever Queen (entitled A Hollow Crown in the UK) The novel is a prequel to I Am The Chosen King – although both are “stand alone” stories. In it I have the famous scene where King Cnut (Canute) is trying to stop the tide from turning. In fact he was trying to prove that he could not command the tide, but the Victorians slightly twisted the facts – as they often did. The real event probably happened at a little town called Bosham, on the south coast of England near Chichester. Bosham was where Cnut and Harold’s father, Earl Godwin, had his manor house. The tide comes in very quickly so it was easy to imagine Cnut sitting on his throne on the harbourside proclaiming that he is only a mere mortal, not God, while the water rose higher and higher….
A friend, local historian John Pollock (who has sadly now passed away) decided to re-create the entire scene from my novel to see if my research was correct. He sat on a chair at the place I had described and recited to his wife who stood safely on the jetty about fifteen yards away. She could hear every word he said – and he got his feet very wet.
He was thrilled that my novel was so accurate. I didn’t like to admit to him that in fact I hadn’t really researched that scene, I merely used the familiar story, logic and a hefty dose of imagination.
Or maybe my imagination is more accurate than I realise?
Coke or Pepsi? (Mead or Wine? Ale or Port?)
Pepsi – red wine – port (not all at once though!)
Maybe Noon, Dinner, and Evening, then! Where can we find out more about, and purchase, your books?
My website: www.helenhollick.net
Blog : www.ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/helen.hollick
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HelenHollick
Thank you – I’ve had a great time being here with you!
It’s been my pleasure!