Which comet appeared in April 1066 and was linked to England's succession crisis?

Halley’s Comet appeared in April 1066 and was interpreted as an omen during England’s succession crisis. Its appearance was later connected with Harold II’s defeat at Hastings and William the Conqueror’s seizure of the English throne.

The comet was visible in England and was represented in the Bayeux Tapestry, where it appears above figures reacting with alarm. The tapestry labels it as a star rather than using the modern name “Halley’s Comet.” Contemporary observers did not know it was a returning periodic comet, but later calculations identify the 1066 apparition as one of Halley’s visits.

Accounts described the object as exceptionally bright. Some reported that it appeared about four times the size of Venus and shone with roughly a quarter of the Moon’s light. Such celestial displays were often read as warnings of political upheaval, death or divine judgment.

The comet did not cause the Norman victory, and its link to the succession crisis is interpretive rather than military. Harold was crowned in January, William invaded in September, and the decisive battle took place on 14 October. The comet’s famous role is cultural and symbolic.