Person

Harold Harefoot

c. 1016–1040 · 11th century · Also known as Harold I of England

Harold Harefoot was king of England from 1035 to 1040, the son of Cnut the Great and his first wife, Ælfgifu of Northampton. When Cnut died in 1035 his heir Harthacnut was held back in Denmark, and Harold acted first as regent and from 1037 as king. He was blamed for the blinding and death of Alfred, brother of Edward the Confessor, in 1036, and died in 1040 as Harthacnut prepared to invade.

Harold Harefoot
Image: AnonymousUnknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

North Sea Empire

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Harold Harefoot. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harold-harefoot
MLA
“Harold Harefoot.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harold-harefoot. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Harold Harefoot.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harold-harefoot.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Harold Harefoot’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harold-harefoot (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻