In order to prove I was worthy of this challenge, I started another Godwinson campaign, which is something I haven't done since 1.06. Thanks almost entirely to an allegiance with Kaiser Heinrich via his unmarried sister, I was able to defeat William's forces after they had already marched to York. The Kaiser managed to thin Hardrade down to ~3k, but sadly an HRE independence faction was called and later his sister died, releasing him from the alliance. Harald's forces were too much for me, so I de-raised my levies and waited for them to be enough to squash him. When that time came, I managed to defeat his last major army and even captured one of his sons (he was the heir at that time but the votes changed later on). I then proceeded to sail over to Trondelag and share some of my respect with Hardrade the old fashoned way, and after a few sieges and the occasional trip back to London to de-siege two holdings he got while I was in Norway, and he surrendered.
Meanwhile, William the Bastard still hungered for a kingship title, and he decided if he couldn't have England (I had white-peaced him), he would have France, so he declared his own civil war for elective monarchy, and succeeded. A few years later, he was elected and crowned King of France. I had intended to exact vengeance against him asHarold, but alas I was maimed in battle against Harald and couldn't risk starting a war that would end on my death. Thanks to his success against both invaders and squashing the odd civil war that came up, Harold Godwinson managed to achieve the title "The Great" and became forever known in English (albeit the English never existed in this timeline) history. Sadly, Prince Godwine was slain in battle against a rebel band that emerged in Bedford, and Prince Eadmund became the next heir. He was orignally betrothed to the young girl Queen of Castille, but for political reasons he broke that betrothal and instead took a bride in the eldest daughter of the King of Scotland.
Shortly after, Eadmund ascended to the throne, and was faced with two civil wars for pretenders which he smashed easily. He quickly planned his family's revenge against the still living despicable King William of France, and in 1087, he was successful in acquiring consent to invade France from the very same Pope Alexander II who had granted permission for William to invade England. He hired the finest Swiss mercenaries, assembled an invasion fleet and declared war, choosing to strike immediately while William was still preoccupied with an independence war in Flanders. His main army landed in Rouen, and swiftly overran William's main castle-fortress, then instead of occupying the town he marched north and met William's army face-to-face. His men valiantly stood against the tyrant who had unjustly attacked his father and dishonoured the Godwinson family. And finally, an outcome was reached on January 1, 1087 at the Battle of Brugge, a time and place which would live forever in European history.
... I always felt bad for his lot in real life, being competent but unlucky, but now Paradox has decided to make him ALWAYS lose in-game too. So now I can't play his character properly.
