EFL - Enciclopedia delle Famiglie Lombarde

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLAND,%20AngloSaxon%20nobility.ht m GODWIN, son of WULFNOTH & his wife --- ([993]-Winchester 15 Apr 105 3, bur Winchester Old Minster [1]). His parentage is confirmed by th e Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which records that "Beorhtric the brother of t he ealdorman Eadric" denounced "Wulfnoth a nobleman of Sussex" to th e king in [1008] for unspecified crimes, after which Wulfnoth fled th e country only to return, take 20 ships from the king´s fleet, and ra vage the south coast and burn the rest of the king´s navy, one manusc ript naming him "quendam nobilem virum… Wlnothum (patrem Godwini duc is)" [2]. Florence of Worcester names "Brihtricus, Ælfricus, Goda, Æ gelwinus, Ægelwardus, Ægelmærus, pater Wlnothi, patris West-Saxonu m ducis Godwini" as the brothers of "Edricum… Ægelrici filium… du cem", and within a few lines in the same paragraph repeats the Anglo-S axon Chronicle´s report about "Brihtric" accusing "Suth-Saxonicum min istrum Wlnothum" of treachery [3]. The two texts just quoted are contr adictory, when read together, in suggesting that Wulfnoth, accused b y Beorhtric, was the same person as Beorhtric´s nephew. Freeman argue s cogently that Florence did not intend to identify Wulfnoth, the supp osed nephew of Eadric, with Wulfnoth, the alleged traitor, arguing alo ng similar lines to what has just been said [4]. He highlights that Fl orence does not make this connection in his two passages, although th e one closely follows the other and it seems surprising that such a li nk would have been omitted if it had existed. In addition, from a chro nological point of view, it is unlikely that Godwin was the grandson o f the brother of Eadric "Streona", who died in 1017 and about whom the re is no indication that he was very old at that time. The chronolog y suggests, rather, that Eadric "Streona" and Godwin´s father would h ave been contemporaries. Another interesting fact is that Ætheling Æ thelstan, under his will dated [1014], made a bequest to "Godwine, Wul fnoth's son, the estate at Compton which his father possessed", liste d second among the bequests to non-members of the royal family [5]. Th e wording of the bequest is consistent with the land in question havin g been confiscated, and such confiscation would have followed if Ear l Godwin´s father had been the Wulfnoth Child who was accused of trea chery. Freeman highlights that Domesday Book records the two places in i Sussex called Compton as having been held, respectively, by King Har old II (Earl Godwin´s son) and a tenant of Earl Godwin [6]. This stro ngly suggests that the beneficiary under Ætheling Æthelstan´s wil l was Earl Godwin, and that he was the son of Wulfnoth Child, the alle ged traitor. In conclusion, it appears unlikely that Florence of Worce ster was correct in stating that Godwin´s father was Eadric "Streona" ´s nephew. Godwin was installed as Earl in 1018 by King Canute, and a s bajulus [7] over almost the whole kingdom [8]. He heads the lists o f witnesses to all the king's lay charters after 1023 [9], indicatin g an unrivalled position of power. The earliest reference to Godwin i n the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is in 1036 when he is recorded as supporti ng Queen Emma in opposing the accession of King Harold I [10]. Earl o f Wessex. Godwin was probably installed as earl of Wessex in [1040/41 ] by King Harthacnut, as there appear to be no earlier sources which r efer to his territory. Florence of Worcester records that King Harthac nut ordered "Godwinum West-Saxonum… comites" and others to burn Worc ester, dated to 1041 [11]. Godwin appears to have played a major rol e in the accession and acceptance in England of King Edward "the Confe ssor" in 1042, and in 1045 married his daughter to the king. However , his relations with the king became tense following a dispute over th e appointment of a new archbishop of Canterbury in 1050. In 1051, Ear l Godwin refused the king's order to punish an affray at Canterbury, i n which one of the men of Eustache Comte de Boulogne was killed. The d ispute escalated, and 1 Sep 1051 Godwin and his two older sons mad e a show of force to the king near Tetbury. Earls Leofric and Siward r allied to the king's support, and battle was avoided. Godwin and his f amily were given five days' safe conduct to leave the country by the K ing's Council held on 8 Sep 1051 [12]. He fled with his wife and son s Svein, Tostig and Gyrth to Bruges. Godwin returned with an army in S ep 1052, joined forces with his son Harold who returned from Ireland , and sailed into London. The family gathered popular support and wa s fully reinstated [13]. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Earl G odwin died soon after, three days after suffering a stroke [14]. Flore nce of Worcester records his death and burial at Winchester [15]. [1 ] Florence of Worcester, 1053, p. 155. [2] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, E , 1009, and F quoted in footnote 4, p. 138. [3] Florentii Wigornensi s Monachi ''Chronicon'', Vol. I, p. 160. [4] Freeman (1877), Vol. I , Appendix, Note MM, p. 663, and Note ZZ, pp. 721-24. [5] EHD, 129, p p. 593-6. [6] Freeman (1877), Vol. I, Appendix, Note ZZ, p. 724. [7 ] Barlow (2002), p. 27, compares this position, unequated with any est ablished office, with the chief justiciarship of the Angevin Kings o f England. [8] ''Vita Ædwardi'', pp. 10-11. [9] Barlow (2002), p. 2 8. [10] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, F, 1036. [11] Florentii Wigornensis M onachi ''Chronicon'', Vol. I, p. 195. [12] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, D , 1052 [1051], and E 1048 [1051]. [13] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, C and D , 1052. [14] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, C, 1053. [15] Florence of Worces ter, 1053, p. 155.