Earl Godwin: So you know he was exiled and he had a son called Harold, but what
about the rest of his life. He didn't just sit around watching TV for 50 odd
years (mainly because TVs haven't been invented!), but that's beside the point!
I present to you episode 1 of 'Interesting Topic', the podcast where I
waffle on about a topic from history which has taken my interest and hope somebody
out there listens ...and maybe finds it interesting too? No one knows the exact
date, but most historians agree that Godwin was born around the 990s maybe
into the early 1000s his dad, Wulfnoth, was possibly a ruler in Sussex.
Wulfnoth was a commander of the English fleet against the Vikings.
However, dad's lands were seized when he was accused of treachery against the
king at the time, Ethelred the Unready. Supposedly, Wulfnoth sabotaged the
English fleet in their battles against the Vikings.
There were many conspiracies surrounding Wulfnoth's family as they had close ties
to the Vikings. This did, however, leave Godwin in a powerful position from a
young age. And, as an added bonus, Godwin was left land in Compton, Sussex, which
had been previously seized from his dad, Wulfnoth. In 1016, King Cnut took
power. Cnut was an effective and respected ruler, so one of his first
moves was to surround himself with people who had shown loyalty. Amongst
these was Godwin, who gradually became closer and closer to the king. In 1017,
Cnut divided England into four earldoms: East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria and
Wessex. Somewhen around the year of 1022, Godwin accompanied his, now, good mate,
King Cnut on a trip to Denmark. Anyway, when they got back, Cnut decided to make
Godwin Earl of Wessex. Godwin also gained an upper hand when he
married Cnut's sister, Astrid ...because that was the thing to do: marry strategically.
Unfortunately, Cnut died in 1035 and so too did the good times for Earl Godwin. By
this time, Godwin had amassed more land than any other Earl in England. Cnut had
left no heirs who were currently in, or able to get to, England.
So Godwin saw this as an opportunity to try and pinch the throne for his own
family. There were two actual heirs, both in exile,
in Normandy, Ætheling Edward and his brother Alfred. Cnut's son, Hardecnut, was
trapped in Denmark, protecting the country from Norwegian invasion. Meaning
there was no chance of him coming over to rule. Hardecnut's half-brother,
Harald, also Cnut's illegitimate son was, however, hanging around in England, so
became region whilst they waited for the appointment of the new king. Godwin,
expectedly, wasn't so keen on this. Another important player to consider was
Emma of Normandy, Cnut's wife and former wife of Ethelred the Unready. She
didn't like the Regency either.
Soon the legitimate heirs, Edward and Alfred made
their way, under separate escort, into the country Godwin managed to ambush and
capture Alfred, laying waste to his large escort with alarming brutality. Six
hundred men were killed in Guildford, Surrey. Deciding to cover up,
Godwin lied and told Regent, Harald, that this move was in support of his Regency.
Eventually, Godwin changed his mind about keeping Alfred prisoner, and decided to
murder him instead. Hardecnut also eventually made it back to England and
took over as king after Harald's death. Shortly after, however, he died, in 1041,
under extremely suspicious circumstances. Hardecnut was probably murdered,
possibly poisoned.
Now I'm not going to point any fingers, but the one person who
would have gained the most from his, death would have been Earl Godwin. So draw
your own conclusions.
Emma of Normandy, whom I mentioned earlier, decided to back
Edward's claim to the throne. Edward was her son whom she had with
Ethelred the Unready, so a legitimate heir. Edward became king and is now known in
our history books as Edward the Confessor.
Godwin, however, saw this as an opportunity. After laying eyes upon
Edward, he saw him as a weak person who would be easy to manipulate.
Edward was scared and indecisive, so sought the help and backing of Godwin.
Godwin, of course, promised him support and protection as well as offering him
his daughter, Edith's, hand in marriage. If Godwin's
plan worked out (which it didn't), the two would have a child and Godwin would have
got his family into the royal bloodline. However, Godwin's fortune changed...
And if you want to know what happened then: I've made a lovely little video about
it. This one has some visuals to go with it as well.
Go on, click it, I know you want to.