ONE KINGDOM. ONE DESTINY. Glastonbury, 1005 AD: a
dying Abbot foresees the coming of the Northmen and
dreadful devastation in the land… Guildford, 1036: A
small boy watches a troop of horsemen advancing in the
snow bringing with them something terrible to behold…
Westminster, 1066: a dying king makes his choice for the
throne that will change the course of history… THE
DEVIL’S INHERITANCE The Devil’s Inheritance is the saga
of the Norman Conquest of England spanning over four
decades and including a cast of a dozen leading
characters. At its centre are the stories of Harold
Godwinsson and William of Normandy, two parallel lives
whose fates are entwined from an early age and whose
desire to become King of England leads their people into
headlong collision in one of history’s most dramatic and
well-known events: the battle of Hastings, 1066. The
story opens with a small boy, Harold, nearly trampled to
death by a group of horsemen bringing terrible news to
Godwin, the Earl of Wessex, the boy's father. A
Norman-English prince, Alfred, has been captured
following the death of the great King Canute during the
struggle for the succession, his Norman followers
brutally murdered. In the years that follow, it is the
prince's brother, Edward, who emerges as the King of
England. To gain Godwin's support, he marries Godwin's
daughter Edith but the murder of Alfred is never
forgotten and as Edward strengthens his Norman support
at court, an almighty clash becomes likely. Meanwhile,
in the duchy of Normandy, another young boy grows to
manhood surrounded by treachery and assassination. This
is Duke William, who overcomes all obstacles to claim
the duchy and hold it by victory in battle. He
strengthens his grip by marrying the daughter of the
Count of Flanders. In England, Edward strikes against
Godwin, forcing him out of the country, banishing his
wife and triumphantly asserting his independence. At
that moment, Edward invites Duke William to England and
offers him the throne. William accepts but when Godwin
returns to England in a show of force, Edward's Norman
party is defeated and the Godwins now control the
government. With a Norman succession out of the
question, the English look further afield and bring home
a long-lost English prince with his infant son, Edgar,
who will be the heir-apparent. In Normandy, William
refuses to accept this, and as he grows ever powerful,
it is clear that on Edward's death, there will be war.
Harold, now Earl of Wessex, is the most powerful man in
England, his brothers are earls and his sister Edith is
restored to the queenship. As Edward lies dying he
decides to appoint Harold as his heir and the next day,
Harold is crowned King of England. When Duke William
hears of this in Normandy, he builds a fleet, gathers an
army and papal support in readiness for the invasion. In
Norway, the feared warrior-king Hardrada, also prepares
to invade England with a Viking army. The stage is set
for the most dramatic episode in English history:
1066.
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