Two men. One Kingdom. One Crown. England Harold Godwinesson, a young respected Earl, rides to inspect his new Earldom of Essex and East Anglia. He meets and falls in love with beautiful Edyth Swannhaels - Edyth the Fair. She will become the mother of his children despite the disapproval of his sister, the future Queen. Normandy William, the bastard son of a Duke, hungers for power. A charismatic leader, but brutal and determined, he cares for nothing and no one except his own greed for ambition and self advancement. Which includes gaining the Crown of England. 1066 When the old King, Edward, dies, England is left to the mercy of fate - and the stubborn will of two powerful men. Only one of whom can be King. In this wonderful, skillfully crafted tale, Helen Hollick sets aside the propaganda of the Norman Conquest and brings to life the English version of the events that led to the most famous date in British history. This is the remarkable story of the last Saxon King: his tender love, determination and loyalty, all shattered by the demanding need of a vulnerable Kingdom. Forced to give up his beloved wife and risk his life for England, the chosen king led his army into the great Battle of Hastings in October 1066 with all the proud honour and dignity that history remembers of its fallen heroes.