AthelingEarl Godwin dies
Harold inherits the weight of the most powerful family in England.
What the record says
The old earl's death leaves Harold to turn family influence into a claim on the whole kingdom.
Certainty
| Fact | Value | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 15 April 1053 | Exact |
| How sure we are | High | Of this record as a whole |
People
Related events
- The Godwins return
The king yields, and the family comes back stronger than before.
- Godwin is driven into exile
A quarrel with the king sends England's strongest family across the sea.
- Edward returns to the English throne
The old royal house returns after years of Danish rule.
- Harold swears an oath in Normandy
A disputed promise becomes part of William's claim.
- Northumbria rejects Tostig
A northern revolt forces the crown to choose between a brother and a realm.
Sources
Where this is recorded
- The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Avalon Project)
- Vita Ædwardi Regis, in Lives of Edward the Confessor, ed. H. R. Luard, Rolls Series, 1858
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