Dr. Wayne Bartlett

As I say, somebody who had a kind of native cunning, which would enable him to capture things by subterfuge when fighting would not on its own do the trick.

So this is very much part of Harold's all round character.

He exhibits a number of these qualities as well.

And then from Sicily, he was subsequently involved in what was described as a military expedition, but I would kind of more describe it as like escort duty to leading members of the Byzantine royal family to Jerusalem.

which at that time was obviously a very, very holy place to Christians, as indeed it still remains.

But after some time of being controlled by Byzantines, it's now under Islamic control.

So Harold is also escorting members of the royal family to Jerusalem on pilgrimage.

So he's ranging his activities from Sicily to Jerusalem, as well as closer to home to Constantinople itself.

So

Very much his reputation is on the rise.

He proved very successful in Sicily, especially, which is a real important battleground for the Byzantines.

So his reputation is very much established and increasing almost by the year at this stage.

Oh, it's an extraordinary story in that it really all kicked off at Easter in 1042, which obviously is a very important time to Christians, and particularly so in Constantinople.

Now, there's all sorts of subplots going on here, one of which is that he's offered the chance to be in a relationship with the Empress Zoe, the Byzantine Empress, which is

Allegedly, he refuses to take up that offer.

So he's associated with that.

And then in 1042, there's been a bit of a kind of power struggle going on for a year or so as a new emperor in place, Michael V.

who is the adopted son of Zoe, the empress.

But as soon as he becomes emperor, he turns on her, imprisons her, that kind of thing.

So Michael proves to be a very unpopular and short-lived emperor.