1.2.1
The House of Godwin
The House of Godwin
The House of Godwin
The Godwin family was a dominant political family in Anglo-Saxon England.
The Godwins' power
The Godwins' power
- The Godwin family, or 'House of Godwin' as it was also called, was the dominant force in Anglo-Saxon politics by the year 1060.
- Wessex was their home county. But they grew so that members of their family had influence across most of England's earldoms.
- The only English region where they had no power, was the region of Mercia (which contains Tamworth).
Key figures
Key figures
- The Earl of Mercia was a man called Aelfgar. He died in 1062 and Edwin, Aelfgar's son became the new Earl of Mercia.
- Earl Godwin died in 1053. Earl Godwin was succeeded by his son, Harold Godwinson, who then became known as the 'Earl of Wessex'. The title was inherited.
- Wessex was still the richest earldom in the land.
Political marriages
Political marriages
- The Godwin family seized more and more power in England using politically-calculated marriages.
- Edith of Mercia, was the daughter of the Earl of Mercia (Aelfgar). Harold Godwinson married Edith.
- Confusingly, Earl Godwin's own daughter was also named Edith. Edith of Wessex (Godwin's daughter) married Edward the Confessor (King Edward) in 1045.
More partnerships and Normandy
More partnerships and Normandy
- Tostig Godwinson, who was in charge of the region of Northumbria (in the north of England) was married to the influential Duke of Flanders' daughter, who was called Judith.
- Before 1066, the Godwin family had become hugely influential in England. The noble family of Godwin controlled almost everything underneath the king.
- King Edward the Confessor had lived in exile in Normandy for about 25 years, up until around 1030. Although historians do not know, some people believe that Edward may have asked for help from his friends in Normandy, helping to contribute to their later invasion.
Relationship with the King
Relationship with the King
- Edward the Confessor was occupied with controlling the Godwins. Edward the Confessor's hatred of Earl Godwin began after Earl Godwin blinded and killed Edward's brother, Alfred in 1036, during Alfred's attempts to capture the Earldom of Wessex.
1Anglo-Saxon England & The Norman Conquest, 1060-66
1.1Anglo-Saxon Society
1.2Edward the Confessor & The Succession Crisis
1.3The Rival Claimants for the Throne
2William I in Power: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
2.1Establishing Control
2.2Causes & Outcomes of Anglo-Saxon Resistance
2.3The Legacy of Resistance to 1087
2.4Revolt of the Earls, 1075
3Norman England, 1066-88
3.1The Feudal System & the Church
3.2Norman Government
3.3The Norman Aristocracy
Jump to other topics
1Anglo-Saxon England & The Norman Conquest, 1060-66
1.1Anglo-Saxon Society
1.2Edward the Confessor & The Succession Crisis
1.3The Rival Claimants for the Throne
2William I in Power: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
2.1Establishing Control
2.2Causes & Outcomes of Anglo-Saxon Resistance
2.3The Legacy of Resistance to 1087
2.4Revolt of the Earls, 1075
3Norman England, 1066-88
3.1The Feudal System & the Church
3.2Norman Government
3.3The Norman Aristocracy
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