Part 5/10:
Imagining a scenario where William was defeated raises intriguing possibilities. Presumably, Harold Godwinson would have solidified his reign and expanded his influence. The Anglo-Saxon ‘witan’—the council that elected kings—would have preserved their power structure more robustly than it did under William’s rule. This could have led to the continuation of a more democratic approach to monarchy, setting a precedent that would curtail feudalistic oppression.