Généalogie and Heritage

Source: HAROLD, son of GODWIN Earl of Wessex & his wife Gytha of Denmark, HAROLD II King of England - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy

Description

Type	Valeur
Titre	HAROLD, son of GODWIN Earl of Wessex & his wife Gytha of Denmark, HAROLD II King of England - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy

Médias

URL

Notes


HAROLD, son of GODWIN Earl of Wessex & his wife Gytha of Denmark ([1022/25]-killed in battle Hastings 14 Oct 1066, bur [Waltham Abbey]). His parentage is confirmed in several places in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. He was created Earl of the East Angles, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1044 by King Edward "the Confessor". King Edward granted him part of the earldom of his brother Svein, after the latter was outlawed following his seduction of the Abbess of Leominster. After joining his father's threatened armed rebellion against the king in 1051, he fled to Ireland with his brother Leofwine. He returned from Ireland the following year and joined forces with his father. Harold was appointed to succeed his father as Earl of Wessex in 1053, his own earldom of the East Angles passing to Ælfgar son of Leofric Earl of Mercia. He led the counter-offensive against Gruffydd ap Llywellyn Prince of Wales in 1063, in reprisal for Welsh raids. On a mission to France in [1064], he was captured by Guy [de Ponthieu] Comte d'Abbeville and imprisoned at Beaurain. Guillaume II Duke of Normandy, Guy's suzerain, secured Harold's release, possibly in return for the latter's acknowledgement of Duke Guillaume as successor to the English throne, the event beingrecorded in the Bayeux tapestry. Guillaume of Jumièges records that “Edwardus Anglorum rex” had already sent “Rodbertum Cantuariorum archipræsulem” to Normandy to recognise Duke Guillaume as his heir, and that the king sent “Heraldum” as his representative to finalise the affair, that Harold landed at Ponthieu and was captured by “Widonis Abbatisvillæ comitis”, from whom Duke Guillaume rescued him and brought him back to Normandy where he swore allegiance to the duke, who retained “adolescentem Vulnotemfratrem eius” as hostage. According to Eadmer, the reason for Harold's visit to Normandy was to negotiate the release of his brother Wulfnoth and nephew Haakon, both of whom had been held hostage there since 1051. In spite of earlier promises to Duke Guillaume, on his deathbed King Edward "the Confessor" bequeathed the kingdom to Harold. The choice was unopposed at court and Harold succeeded as HAROLD II King of England, crowned 6 Jan 1066.~ King Harold hastily assembled his army to meet this second invasion at Hastings 14 Oct 1066, where he was killed. King Harold's body was identified on the battlefield by his mistress Eadgyth Swanneshals and taken to Waltham for burial. Betrothed ([1064]) to ADELISA de Normandie, daughter of GUILLAUME II Duke of Normandy & his wife Mathilde de Flandre ([1055]-7 Dec, 1066 or after). m ([1064/early 1066]) as her second husband, EALDGYTH of Mercia, widow of GRUFFYDD ap Llywellyn Prince of Gwynedd and Powys, daughter of ÆLFGAR Earl of Mercia & his first wife Ælfgifu. Florence of Worcester’s genealogies name "regina Aldgitha, comitis Ælfgari filia" as mother of King Harold’s son "Haroldum"[2070]. Orderic Vitalis records that "Edwinus…et Morcarus comites, filii Algari…Edgivam sororem eorum" married firstly "Gritfridi…regis Guallorum" and secondly "Heraldo"[2071]. In a later passage, the same source names her “Aldit”[2072]. Her parentage and marriage with King Harold are confirmed by Florence of Worcester who records that "earls Edwin and Morcar…sent off their sister Queen Elgitha to Chester" after the battle of Hastings[2073]. There is no source which pinpoints the date of Ealdgyth’s second marriage. Freeman suggests that the absence of any reference to his queen in the sources which record the circumstances of Harold’s accession and coronation may indicate that his marriage took place afterwards[2074]. If Harold's son Ulf was legitimate (see below), the marriage would have taken place in the earlier part of the date range which is shown above. Mistress (1): EADGYTH "Swanneshals [Swan-neck]", [daughter of --- & his wife Wulfgyth] (-after 1066). A mid-12th century manuscript concerning the foundation of Waltham abbey names "Editham cognomento Swanneshals" as "cubicularia" of King Harold when recording that she recovered the king’s body for burial after the battle of Hastings[2075]. The later Vita Haroldi records that "a certain woman of a shrewd intelligence, Edith by name" recovered the king’s body from the battlefield, chosen to do so "because she loved him exceedingly…[and] had been frequently present in the secret places of his chamber"[2076]. The only source so far identified which refers to an earlier document which names Eadgyth is the history of the abbey of St Benet, Holme, written byJohn of Oxnead in 1292, which records donations to the abbey, confirmed by King Edward in 1046, including the donation by "Edgyue Swanneshals" of "Thurgertone" (Thurgarton, Norfolk)[2077]. The fact of this donation is confirmed by the corresponding charter of King Edward, reproduced in Dugdale’s Monasticon[2078], which refers to the donation of "ecclesiam de Thurgartun cum tota villa" but omits the name of the donor. Barlow suggests that Eadgyth may have been "Ealdgyth" who is named in the will of her mother "Wulfgyth", dated to [1042/53], who bequeathed land "at Stisted, Essex to her sons Ælfketel and Ketel…at Saxlingham, Norfolk and Somerton, Suffolk to her daughters Gode and Bote, at Chadacre, Suffolk and Ashford to her daughter Ealdgyth, and at Fritton to Earl Godwin and Earl Harold"[2079]. The connection between Wulfgyth’s family and St Benet’s, Hulme is confirmed by the testament of "Ketel" (named in his mother’s will quoted above), dated to [1052/66], which includes bequests of land to the abbey[2080]. However, Ketel’s testament names his two sisters Gode and Bote, who are also named in their mother’s will, but does not name "Ealdgyth", suggesting that the latter may have predeceased her brother. None of the sources so far identified suggests, even indirectly, that Eadgyth "Swanneshals" was the mother of the seven illegitimate children of King Harold who are shown below, but this has been assumed to be the case in secondary sources. [Mistress (2): --- (-after 1086). Domesday Book records "quædam concubina Heraldi" as holding three houses in Canterbury[2081]. It is not known whether this unnamed person was the same as Eadgyth "Swanneshals".] King Harold II & his wife had one son: 1. HAROLD (posthumously Chester Dec 1066-after 1098). Florence of Worcester’s genealogies name "regina Aldgitha, comitis Ælfgari filia" as mother of King Harold’s son "Haroldum"[2082]. He settled at the court of Magnus II Haraldsen King of Norway. William of Malmesbury records that "Harold the son of Harold" accompanied Magnus III King of Norway when the latter invaded Orkney in 1098, captured the Isle of Man and Anglesey, forced the flight of Hugh Earl of Chester and killed Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury[2083]. King Harold & had [seven] illegitimate children by [Mistress (1)]: 2. GODWIN ([1045/55]-after 1069). 3. EDMUND ([1047/55]-after 1069). 4. MAGNUS ([1050/55]-after [1069]). 5. [GYTHA [Eadgyth] ([1050/55]-10 Mar [1098/99]). 6. [ULF (-after 1087). 7. child (stillborn or died young, bur Christ Church, Canterbury[2102]). 8. GUNHILD (-after 1093).

HAROLD, son of GODWIN Earl of Wessex & his wife Gytha of Denmark ([1022/25]-killed in battle Hastings 14 Oct 1066, bur [Waltham Abbey]). His parentage is confirmed in several places in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. He was created Earl of the East Angles, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1044 by King Edward "the Confessor". King Edward granted him part of the earldom of his brother Svein, after the latter was outlawed following his seduction of the Abbess of Leominster. After joining his father's threatened armed rebellion against the king in 1051, he fled to Ireland with his brother Leofwine. He returned from Ireland the following year and joined forces with his father. Harold was appointed to succeed his father as Earl of Wessex in 1053, his own earldom of the East Angles passing to Ælfgar son of Leofric Earl of Mercia. He led the counter-offensive against Gruffydd ap Llywellyn Prince of Wales in 1063, in reprisal for Welsh raids. On a mission to France in [1064], he was captured by Guy [de Ponthieu] Comte d'Abbeville and imprisoned at Beaurain. Guillaume II Duke of Normandy, Guy's suzerain, secured Harold's release, possibly in return for the latter's acknowledgement of Duke Guillaume as successor to the English throne, the event beingrecorded in the Bayeux tapestry. Guillaume of Jumièges records that “Edwardus Anglorum rex” had already sent “Rodbertum Cantuariorum archipræsulem” to Normandy to recognise Duke Guillaume as his heir, and that the king sent “Heraldum” as his representative to finalise the affair, that Harold landed at Ponthieu and was captured by “Widonis Abbatisvillæ comitis”, from whom Duke Guillaume rescued him and brought him back to Normandy where he swore allegiance to the duke, who retained “adolescentem Vulnotemfratrem eius” as hostage. According to Eadmer, the reason for Harold's visit to Normandy was to negotiate the release of his brother Wulfnoth and nephew Haakon, both of whom had been held hostage there since 1051. In spite of earlier promises to Duke Guillaume, on his deathbed King Edward "the Confessor" bequeathed the kingdom to Harold. The choice was unopposed at court and Harold succeeded as HAROLD II King of England, crowned 6 Jan 1066.~ King Harold hastily assembled his army to meet this second invasion at Hastings 14 Oct 1066, where he was killed. King Harold's body was identified on the battlefield by his mistress Eadgyth Swanneshals and taken to Waltham for burial.
Betrothed ([1064]) to ADELISA de Normandie, daughter of GUILLAUME II Duke of Normandy & his wife Mathilde de Flandre ([1055]-7 Dec, 1066 or after).
m ([1064/early 1066]) as her second husband, EALDGYTH of Mercia, widow of GRUFFYDD ap Llywellyn Prince of Gwynedd and Powys, daughter of ÆLFGAR Earl of Mercia & his first wife Ælfgifu. Florence of Worcester’s genealogies name "regina Aldgitha, comitis Ælfgari filia" as mother of King Harold’s son "Haroldum"[2070]. Orderic Vitalis records that "Edwinus…et Morcarus comites, filii Algari…Edgivam sororem eorum" married firstly "Gritfridi…regis Guallorum" and secondly "Heraldo"[2071]. In a later passage, the same source names her “Aldit”[2072]. Her parentage and marriage with King Harold are confirmed by Florence of Worcester who records that "earls Edwin and Morcar…sent off their sister Queen Elgitha to Chester" after the battle of Hastings[2073]. There is no source which pinpoints the date of Ealdgyth’s second marriage. Freeman suggests that the absence of any reference to his queen in the sources which record the circumstances of Harold’s accession and coronation may indicate that his marriage took place afterwards[2074]. If Harold's son Ulf was legitimate (see below), the marriage would have taken place in the earlier part of the date range which is shown above.
Mistress (1): EADGYTH "Swanneshals [Swan-neck]", [daughter of --- & his wife Wulfgyth] (-after 1066). A mid-12th century manuscript concerning the foundation of Waltham abbey names "Editham cognomento Swanneshals" as "cubicularia" of King Harold when recording that she recovered the king’s body for burial after the battle of Hastings[2075]. The later Vita Haroldi records that "a certain woman of a shrewd intelligence, Edith by name" recovered the king’s body from the battlefield, chosen to do so "because she loved him exceedingly…[and] had been frequently present in the secret places of his chamber"[2076]. The only source so far identified which refers to an earlier document which names Eadgyth is the history of the abbey of St Benet, Holme, written byJohn of Oxnead in 1292, which records donations to the abbey, confirmed by King Edward in 1046, including the donation by "Edgyue Swanneshals" of "Thurgertone" (Thurgarton, Norfolk)[2077]. The fact of this donation is confirmed by the corresponding charter of King Edward, reproduced in Dugdale’s Monasticon[2078], which refers to the donation of "ecclesiam de Thurgartun cum tota villa" but omits the name of the donor. Barlow suggests that Eadgyth may have been "Ealdgyth" who is named in the will of her mother "Wulfgyth", dated to [1042/53], who bequeathed land "at Stisted, Essex to her sons Ælfketel and Ketel…at Saxlingham, Norfolk and Somerton, Suffolk to her daughters Gode and Bote, at Chadacre, Suffolk and Ashford to her daughter Ealdgyth, and at Fritton to Earl Godwin and Earl Harold"[2079]. The connection between Wulfgyth’s family and St Benet’s, Hulme is confirmed by the testament of "Ketel" (named in his mother’s will quoted above), dated to [1052/66], which includes bequests of land to the abbey[2080]. However, Ketel’s testament names his two sisters Gode and Bote, who are also named in their mother’s will, but does not name "Ealdgyth", suggesting that the latter may have predeceased her brother. None of the sources so far identified suggests, even indirectly, that Eadgyth "Swanneshals" was the mother of the seven illegitimate children of King Harold who are shown below, but this has been assumed to be the case in secondary sources.

[Mistress (2): --- (-after 1086). Domesday Book records "quædam concubina Heraldi" as holding three houses in Canterbury[2081]. It is not known whether this unnamed person was the same as Eadgyth "Swanneshals".]

King Harold II & his wife had one son:

1. HAROLD (posthumously Chester Dec 1066-after 1098). Florence of Worcester’s genealogies name "regina Aldgitha, comitis Ælfgari filia" as mother of King Harold’s son "Haroldum"[2082]. He settled at the court of Magnus II Haraldsen King of Norway. William of Malmesbury records that "Harold the son of Harold" accompanied Magnus III King of Norway when the latter invaded Orkney in 1098, captured the Isle of Man and Anglesey, forced the flight of Hugh Earl of Chester and killed Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury[2083].

King Harold & had [seven] illegitimate children by [Mistress (1)]:

2. GODWIN ([1045/55]-after 1069).
3. EDMUND ([1047/55]-after 1069).
4. MAGNUS ([1050/55]-after [1069]).
5. [GYTHA [Eadgyth] ([1050/55]-10 Mar [1098/99]).
6. [ULF (-after 1087).
7. child (stillborn or died young, bur Christ Church, Canterbury[2102]).
8. GUNHILD (-after 1093).