View source for Harold Harefoot

=== Death ===
Harold died at [[Oxford]] on 17 March 1040,{{sfn|Swanton|1998|p=160}} just as Harthacnut was preparing an invasion force of Danes, and was buried at [[Westminster Abbey]].{{sfn|Bolton|2006}}  His body was subsequently exhumed, beheaded, and thrown into a [[fen]] bordering the [[River Thames|Thames]] when Harthacnut assumed the throne in June 1040. The body was subsequently recovered by fishermen, and resident Danes reportedly had it reburied at their local cemetery in London.{{sfn|Mason|2004|pp=39-40}} The body was eventually buried in a church in the [[City of Westminster]], which was fittingly named [[St Clement Danes|St. Clement Danes]].{{sfn|Anon.|1869|p=121|loc=Saint Clement Danes}} A contradictory account in the ''[[Knýtlinga saga]]'' (13th century) reports Harold buried in the city of Morstr, alongside his half-brother Harthacnut and their father Cnut. While mentioned as a great city in the text, nothing else is known of Morstr.{{sfn|Fjalldal|2005|pp=23, 50–53}} The ''[[Heimskringla]]'' by [[Snorri Sturluson]] reports Harold Harefoot to have been buried at [[Winchester]], again alongside Cnut and Harthacnut.{{sfn|Fjalldal|2005|pp=50–53}}{{sfn|Sturluson|1844|p=376}}

[[File:S 1467 Account of the restoration of Sandwich to Christ Church, Canterbury, by King Harold.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|S 1467 dated 1038-1040 is a partisan account of Harold's restoration of Sandwich to [[Canterbury Cathedral|Christ Church]], which was disputed between Christ Church and [[St Augustine's Abbey|St Augustine's]].{{sfn|Brooks|Kelly|2013|pp=1147-1153}} ]]

The cause of Harold's death is uncertain. Katherine Holman attributes the death to "a mysterious illness".{{sfn|Holman|2007|pp=93–94}} An [[Anglo-Saxon charters|Anglo-Saxon charter]] attributes the illness to [[divine judgement]]. Harold had reportedly claimed [[Sandwich, Kent|Sandwich]] for himself, thereby depriving the monks of [[Christchurch, Dorset|Christchurch]]. Harold is described as lying ill and in despair at [[Oxford]]. When monks came to him to settle the dispute over Sandwich, he "lay and grew black as they spoke".{{sfn|Robertson|2009|pp=174-177}} The context of the event was a dispute between [[Christchurch, Dorset|Christchurch]] and [[St Augustine's Abbey]], which took over the local toll in the name of the king. There is little attention paid to the illness of the king. Harriet O'Brien feels this is enough to indicate that Harold died of natural causes, but not to determine the nature of the disease. The Anglo-Saxons themselves would consider him [[Elfshot|elf-shot]] (attacked by [[Elf|elves]]), their term for any number of deadly diseases.{{sfn|O'Brien|2006|p=186}}{{sfn|Robertson|2009|pp=174-177}} Michael Evans points out that Harold was only one of several youthful kings of pre-Conquest England to die following short reigns. Others included [[Edmund I]] (reigned 939–946, murdered at age 25), [[Eadred]] (reigned 946–955, died at age 32), [[Eadwig]] (reigned 955–959, died at age 19), [[Edmund Ironside]] (reigned 1016, died at age 26), and Harthacnut (reigned 1040–1042, who would die at age 24). Evans wonders whether the role of king was dangerous in this era, more so than in the period after the Conquest, or whether hereditary diseases were in effect since most of these kings were members of the same lineage, the [[House of Wessex]].{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=22}}

It is unclear why a king would have been buried at Westminster Abbey. The only previous royals reportedly buried there were [[Sæberht of Essex]] and his wife Æthelgoda. Emma Mason speculates that Cnut had built a royal residence in the vicinity of the Abbey, or that Westminster held some significance to the [[House of Knýtlinga|Danish Kings of England]], which would also explain why Harthacnut would not allow a usurper to be buried there. The lack of detail in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' implies that, for its compilers, the main point of interest was not the burial site, but the exhumation of the body.{{sfn|Mason|2004|pp=39-40}} Harriet O'Brien theorises that the choice of location might simply reflect the political affiliation of the area of Westminster and nearby [[London]], being a power base for Harold.{{sfn|O'Brien|2006|p=186}}

A detailed account of the exhumation appears in the writings of [[John of Worcester]] (12th century). The group tasked with the mission was reportedly led by [[Ælfric Puttoc]], [[Archbishop of York]], and [[Godwin, Earl of Wessex]]. The involvement of such notable men would have had a significance of its own, giving the event an official nature and avoiding secrecy. Emma Mason suspects that this could also serve as a punishment for Godwin, who had served as a chief supporter of Harold, and was now charged with the gruesome task.{{sfn|Mason|2004|pp=39-40}}