Edward the Confessor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edward the Confessor |
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EDWARD(US) REX: Edward the Confessor, enthroned, opening scene of the Bayeux Tapestry
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| King of the English | |
| Reign | 8 June 1042 – 5 January 1066 |
| Coronation | 3 April 1043, Winchester Cathedral |
| Predecessor | Harthacnut |
| Successor | Harold II |
| Born | c. 1003–1005 Islip, Oxfordshire, England |
| Died | 5 January 1066 (aged 60–63) London, England |
| Burial | Westminster Abbey, London |
| Spouse | Edith of Wessex |
| House | Wessex |
| Father | Æthelred the Unready |
| Mother | Emma of Normandy |
Edward the Confessor (born around 1003–1005 – died 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England. He is usually seen as the last king from the House of Wessex. Edward ruled from 1042 until 1066.
Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. He became king after his half-brother, Harthacnut, who was the son of Cnut the Great. Edward brought back the rule of the House of Wessex after a time when Danish kings ruled England. This Danish rule began when Cnut conquered England in 1016.
When Edward died in 1066, his wife's brother, Harold Godwinson, became king. However, Harold was defeated and killed later that year by the Normans led by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. Edward's young great-nephew, Edgar the Ætheling, was named king after the Battle of Hastings. But he was never crowned and was peacefully removed from power after about eight weeks.
Historians have different ideas about Edward's 24-year reign. His nickname, "the Confessor," comes from his image as a very religious and spiritual person. A "Confessor" is a saint who lived a holy life but did not die as a martyr. This is different from his uncle, King Edward the Martyr, who was killed for his faith. Some historians believe Edward's reign led to the royal power in England becoming weaker. They also think it helped the House of Godwin gain more power. This led to fighting after Edward died without children to inherit the throne. Other historians, like Frank Barlow and Peter Rex, see Edward as a successful king. They say he was energetic and clever. They believe the Norman conquest, which happened soon after his death, made his image seem worse.
About a hundred years later, in 1161, Pope Alexander III made Edward a saint. Edward was one of England's national saints for a long time. This changed around 1350 when King Edward III chose Saint George as the new national patron saint. Saint Edward's feast day is 13 October. It is celebrated by both the Church of England and the Catholic Church.
Contents
Early Life and Time Away from England
Edward was the seventh son of Æthelred the Unready. He was the first son born to Æthelred's second wife, Emma of Normandy. Edward was born between 1003 and 1005 in Islip, Oxfordshire. We first see his name on official papers in 1005. He had one full brother, Alfred, and a sister, Godgifu. In official records, he was always listed after his older half-brothers. This showed he was not as important as them.
When Edward was a child, Viking raiders and invaders attacked England. These attacks were led by Sweyn Forkbeard and his son, Cnut. In 1013, Sweyn took the throne. Emma, Edward's mother, fled to Normandy. Edward and Alfred followed her, and then Æthelred joined them.
Sweyn died in February 1014. Important English leaders invited Æthelred to come back. They asked him to promise to rule more fairly than before. Æthelred agreed and sent Edward back with his messengers. Æthelred died in April 1016. Edward's older half-brother, Edmund Ironside, became king. Edmund continued the fight against Sweyn's son, Cnut. Some stories say Edward fought with Edmund. But Edward was only about thirteen years old, so this is not certain.
Edmund died in November 1016. Cnut then became the undisputed king of England. Edward went into exile again with his brother and sister. In 1017, his mother married Cnut. That same year, Cnut had Edward's last older half-brother, Eadwig, killed.
Edward spent 25 years in exile, mostly in Normandy. We don't know exactly where he was until the early 1030s. His sister Godgifu probably helped him. She married Drogo of Mantes, a count in France, around 1024. In the early 1030s, Edward signed four official papers in Normandy. He signed two of them as "king of England."
A Norman writer, William of Jumièges, said that Robert I, Duke of Normandy, tried to invade England. This was around 1034, to put Edward on the throne. But a storm blew their ships off course to Jersey. Edward also got support for his claim to the throne from several abbots in Europe. One important supporter was Robert, abbot of the Norman abbey of Jumièges. Robert later became Edward's Archbishop of Canterbury.
People said Edward became very religious during this time. But modern historians think this idea came from later efforts to make him a saint. Historian Frank Barlow believes Edward lived like a typical noble from the countryside. During this time, it seemed unlikely he would become king of England. His ambitious mother was more interested in supporting Harthacnut, her son by Cnut.
Cnut died in 1035. Harthacnut became king of Denmark. It's not clear if he also wanted to keep England. But he was too busy in Denmark to come to England. So, it was decided that his older half-brother, Harold Harefoot, would rule England for him. Emma held Wessex for Harthacnut.
In 1036, Edward and his brother Alfred came to England separately. Emma later said they came because of a fake letter from Harold. But historians think Emma probably invited them. She wanted to stop Harold from becoming too popular. Alfred was captured by Godwin, Earl of Wessex. Godwin handed Alfred over to Harold Harefoot. Harold had Alfred blinded, making him unable to be king. Alfred died soon after from his injuries. This murder is thought to be why Edward disliked Godwin so much. It was also a main reason for Godwin being sent away from England in 1051. Edward is said to have won a small fight near Southampton. Then he went back to Normandy. This showed he was careful. He also had a reputation as a soldier in Normandy and Scandinavia.
In 1037, Harold was accepted as king. The next year, he sent Emma away. She went to Bruges. She then called Edward and asked for his help for Harthacnut. But Edward refused. He had no money or soldiers to start an invasion. He also said he was not interested in the throne for himself. Harthacnut, now safe in Denmark, planned an invasion. But Harold died in 1040. Harthacnut was able to cross to England without a fight. He took the English throne with his mother.
In 1041, Harthacnut invited Edward back to England. He probably saw Edward as his heir because he knew he would not live much longer. A 12th-century book says that Bishop Ælfwine of Winchester and Earl Godwin helped bring Edward back. Edward met with "the thegns of all England" at Hursteshever. This was probably Hurst Spit near the Isle of Wight. There, he was accepted as king. In return, he promised to continue Cnut's laws. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says Edward was sworn in as king alongside Harthacnut. But an official paper from Harthacnut in 1042 calls Edward the king's brother.
Becoming King
After Harthacnut died on 8 June 1042, Godwin, the most powerful English earl, supported Edward. Edward then became king. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says how popular he was when he took the throne. It says, "before he [Harthacnut] was buried, all the people chose Edward as king in London." Edward was crowned at Winchester Cathedral, the royal city of the West Saxons, on 3 April 1043.
Edward complained that his mother had not helped him enough. In November 1043, he rode to Winchester with his three main earls. These were Leofric of Mercia, Godwin, and Siward of Northumbria. They took away his mother's property. This might have been because she was keeping royal treasures. Her adviser, Stigand, lost his position as bishop of Elmham. However, both Emma and Stigand soon got back into the king's favor. Emma died in 1052.
When Edward became king, his power was not very strong. To rule well, he needed to get along with the three main earls. But loyalty to the old House of Wessex had weakened during the Danish rule. Only Leofric came from a family that had served Æthelred. Siward was probably Danish. Godwin was English, but he was one of Cnut's new men. He was married to Cnut's former sister-in-law.
However, in his early years, Edward brought back the strong monarchy. Historian Frank Barlow saw him as "a strong and ambitious man."
In 1043, Godwin's oldest son, Sweyn, was made an earl in the south-west. On 23 January 1045, Edward married Godwin's daughter, Edith. Soon after, her brother Harold and her Danish cousin Beorn Estrithson also became earls in southern England. Godwin and his family now controlled most of Southern England.
However, in 1047, Sweyn was sent away for taking the abbess of Leominster. In 1049, he came back to try to get his earldom again. But Harold and Beorn were against it. They had probably been given Sweyn's land. Sweyn then killed his cousin Beorn and was sent away again. Edward's nephew Ralph was given Beorn's earldom. But the next year, Sweyn's father helped him get his position back.
Edward's own lands were richer than those of the greatest earls. But they were spread out among the southern earldoms. He did not have his own strong power base. In 1050–51, he even paid off the fourteen foreign ships that made up his navy. He also stopped the tax used to pay for it.
However, Edward could follow his own plans in church matters and foreign affairs. King Magnus I of Norway wanted to be king of England. In 1045 and 1046, Edward feared an invasion. He took command of the fleet at Sandwich. Beorn's older brother, Sweyn II of Denmark, asked Edward for help. He hoped Edward would help him fight Magnus for control of Denmark. But in 1047, Edward refused Godwin's request to send aid to Sweyn. Only Magnus's death in October saved England from attack. This allowed Sweyn to take the Danish throne.
Modern historians do not agree with the old idea that Edward mainly used Norman friends. But he did have some foreigners in his household, including a few Normans. These people became unpopular. The most important was Robert, abbot of the Norman abbey of Jumièges. Robert had known Edward since the 1030s. He came to England with Edward in 1041. He became bishop of London in 1043. A book about Edward's life says Robert became "always the most powerful confidential adviser to the king."
Trouble with Earl Godwin (1051–52)
When it came to choosing church leaders, Edward and his advisers often preferred people who were not from the local area. In 1051, the church leaders and monks of Canterbury chose a relative of Godwin to be Archbishop of Canterbury. But Edward refused him. Instead, he chose Robert of Jumièges. Robert claimed that Godwin was illegally holding some church lands.
In September 1051, Edward's brother-in-law, Eustace II of Boulogne, visited him. Eustace's men caused a fight in Dover. Edward ordered Godwin, as earl of Kent, to punish the townspeople. But Godwin sided with them and refused. Edward saw this as a chance to control his very powerful earl. Archbishop Robert accused Godwin of planning to kill the king. He said Godwin had killed Edward's brother Alfred in 1036. Leofric and Siward supported the king and gathered their soldiers. Sweyn and Harold also gathered their soldiers. But neither side wanted to fight. Godwin and Sweyn seemed to have given a son as a hostage. These sons were sent to Normandy.
The Godwins' power fell apart because their men would not fight the king. Stigand, who was helping both sides, told Godwin that the king joked Godwin could have peace if he brought Alfred and his friends back alive. Godwin and his sons fled to Flanders and Ireland. Edward sent Edith, his wife, to a nunnery. This might have been because she had no children. Archbishop Robert wanted Edward to divorce her.
Sweyn went on a trip to Jerusalem and died on his way back. But Godwin and his other sons returned with an army a year later. They received a lot of support. Leofric and Siward did not support the king. Both sides worried that a civil war would leave England open to foreign invasion. The king was very angry. But he was forced to give in. He gave Godwin and Harold back their earldoms. Robert of Jumièges and other Frenchmen fled, fearing Godwin's revenge. Edith was brought back as queen. Stigand, who had helped settle the conflict, was made Archbishop of Canterbury in Robert's place. Stigand also kept his position as bishop of Winchester. Holding two important church jobs at once caused problems with the pope.
Later Years of His Reign
Until the mid-1050s, Edward tried to arrange his earldoms so the Godwins would not become too powerful. Godwin died in 1053. Harold took over his earldom of Wessex. None of his other brothers were earls at this time. The Godwin family was weaker than it had been since Edward became king.
However, several deaths between 1055 and 1057 completely changed who controlled the earldoms. In 1055, Siward died. His son was too young to rule Northumbria. So, Harold's brother, Tostig, was appointed. In 1057, Leofric and Ralph died. Leofric's son, Ælfgar, became Earl of Mercia. Harold's brother, Gyrth, took Ælfgar's place as Earl of East Anglia. The fourth surviving Godwin brother, Leofwine, was given an earldom in the south-east. This land was taken from Harold's territory. Harold received Ralph's land as a trade.
By 1057, the Godwin brothers controlled almost all of England, except for Mercia. We don't know if Edward liked this change or if he had to accept it. From this time, he seemed to step back from active politics. He spent his time hunting, which he did every day after church.
In the 1050s, Edward had a strong and successful policy with Scotland and Wales. Malcolm Canmore was living at Edward's court. His father, Duncan I, was killed in battle in 1040. Macbeth then took the Scottish throne. In 1054, Edward sent Siward to invade Scotland. Siward defeated Macbeth. Malcolm, who went with the army, gained control of southern Scotland. By 1058, Malcolm had killed Macbeth in battle and taken the Scottish throne. In 1059, he visited Edward. But in 1061, he started raiding Northumbria to add it to his land.
In 1053, Edward ordered the killing of the Welsh prince Rhys ap Rhydderch. This was in return for a raid on England. Rhys's head was brought to him. In 1055, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn became the ruler of Wales. He joined forces with Ælfgar of Mercia, who had been declared an outlaw. They defeated Earl Ralph at Hereford. Harold had to gather soldiers from almost all of England to push the invaders back into Wales. Peace was made when Ælfgar was allowed to return. He became Earl of Mercia when his father died in 1057. Gruffydd swore an oath to be a loyal under-king to Edward. Ælfgar likely died in 1062. His young son, Edwin, was allowed to become Earl of Mercia. But Harold then launched a surprise attack on Gruffydd. Gruffydd escaped. When Harold and Tostig attacked again the next year, Gruffydd retreated and was killed by Welsh enemies. Edward and Harold were then able to make some Welsh princes loyal to them.
In October 1065, Harold's brother, Tostig, Earl of Northumbria, was hunting with the king. His local nobles in Northumbria rebelled against his rule. They said he was unfair. They killed about 200 of his followers. They chose Morcar, Edwin of Mercia's brother, as their new earl. They invited the brothers to join them in marching south. They met Harold at Northampton. Tostig accused Harold before the king of working with the rebels. Tostig seemed to be a favorite of the king and queen. They demanded that the revolt be stopped. But neither Harold nor anyone else would fight to support Tostig.
Edward was forced to accept Tostig's banishment. This humiliation may have caused him to have several strokes. These led to his death. He was too weak to go to the opening of his new church at Westminster. This church was mostly finished in 1065, and opened on 28 December.
Edward probably left the kingdom to Harold and Edith just before he died on 5 January 1066. On 6 January, he was buried in Westminster Abbey. Harold was crowned king on the same day.
Who Would Be King Next?
Since the early 1100s, historians have wondered about Edward's plans for who would rule after him. Some believe Edward always intended for William the Conqueror to be his heir. They accept the old claim that Edward had decided to live a life without marriage before he wed Edith. But most historians think he hoped to have a child with Edith, at least until his fight with Godwin in 1051. William may have visited Edward when Godwin was in exile. It is thought Edward promised William the throne at this time. But historians disagree on how serious he was about this promise. They also wonder if he changed his mind later.
Edmund Ironside's son, Edward the Exile, had the strongest claim to be Edward's heir. He had been taken as a young child to Hungary. In 1054, Bishop Ealdred of Worcester visited the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III. He wanted to bring Edward the Exile back. This was probably so he could become Edward's heir. The exile returned to England in 1057 with his family. But he died almost right away. His son Edgar, who was about 6 years old then, grew up at the English court. He was called Ætheling, which meant "worthy of the throne." This might mean Edward thought about making him his heir. Edgar was briefly declared king after Harold's death in 1066. However, Edgar's name is not on the lists of people who witnessed Edward's official papers. Also, the Domesday Book does not show him as owning much land. This suggests he was not very important at the end of Edward's reign.
After the mid-1050s, Edward seemed to step back from ruling. He became more and more dependent on the Godwins. He may have accepted that one of them would take his place. The Normans claimed that Edward sent Harold to Normandy around 1064. This was supposedly to confirm the promise of the throne to William. The strongest evidence for this comes from a Norman writer, William of Poitiers. He wrote that before the Battle of Hastings, Harold sent a messenger to William. The messenger admitted that Edward had promised the throne to William. But he argued that Edward's promise to Harold on his deathbed was more important. William did not argue about the deathbed promise. But he said Edward's earlier promise to him came first. Historian Stephen Baxter believes Edward's "handling of who would be king next was very unsure. It led to one of the biggest disasters England has ever faced."
Westminster Abbey
Edward's liking for Normans is most clearly seen in the big building project of his reign: Westminster Abbey. This was the first Romanesque church in England. Building started between 1042 and 1052. It was meant to be a royal burial church. It was opened on 28 December 1065. It was finished after Edward's death, around 1090. It was torn down in 1245 to make way for Henry III's new building, which is still there today. It looked very similar to Jumièges Abbey, which was built at the same time. Robert of Jumièges must have been very involved in both buildings.
Edward did not seem very interested in books or other arts. But his abbey played a very important role in how English Romanesque architecture developed. This shows he was an innovative and generous supporter of the church.
Being Made a Saint
| Saint Edward | |
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The left panel of the Wilton Diptych, where Edward (centre), with Edmund the Martyr (left) and John the Baptist, are depicted presenting Richard II to the Virgin Mary and Christ Child.
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| Confessor of the Faith | |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Church of England Some Eastern Orthodox |
| Major shrine | Westminster Abbey, London |
| Feast | 13 October |
| Patronage | England, Monarchy of the United Kingdom, difficult marriages |
Edward the Confessor was the only king of England to be made a saint by the pope. But he was part of a tradition of Anglo-Saxon royal saints who were not officially made saints. These included Eadburh of Winchester, a daughter of Edward the Elder, and Edith of Wilton, a daughter of Edgar the Peaceful. Also, the young king Edward the Martyr.
Most historians think Edward the Confessor was an unlikely saint. This is because he was known for his love of hunting. They believe his sainthood was for political reasons. However, some argue that people started seeing him as a saint so early that there must have been good reasons for it.
Edward showed a practical attitude when choosing church leaders. When he made Robert of Jumièges Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051, he chose a skilled craftsman named Spearhafoc to replace Robert as Bishop of London. Robert refused to make Spearhafoc a bishop. He said the pope had forbidden it. But Spearhafoc held the bishopric for several months with Edward's support. After the Godwins fled the country, Edward sent Spearhafoc away. Spearhafoc fled with a lot of gold and jewels. These had been given to him to make Edward a crown.
Stigand was the first Archbishop of Canterbury in almost a hundred years who was not a monk. It was said that several popes had excommunicated him. This was because he held both Canterbury and Winchester at the same time. Several bishops sought to be made bishops in other countries. This was because of the problems with Stigand's position. Edward usually preferred clerks over monks for the most important and richest bishoprics. He probably accepted gifts from people who wanted to be bishops or abbots. However, his choices were generally respected.
When Odda of Deerhurst died without children in 1056, Edward took lands Odda had given to Pershore Abbey. He gave them to his Westminster foundation. Historian Ann Williams notes that "the Confessor did not have the saintly reputation in the 11th century that he later enjoyed. This was largely due to the efforts of the Westminster monks themselves."
After 1066, there was a quiet worship of Edward as a saint. This was possibly discouraged by the early Norman abbots of Westminster. But it slowly grew in the early 12th century. Osbert of Clare, the prior of Westminster Abbey, then started to campaign for Edward to be made a saint. He wanted to increase the Abbey's wealth and power. By 1138, he had changed the Vita Ædwardi Regis, a book about Edward's life, into a typical saint's life story. He focused on a part that might have meant Edward and Edith's marriage was chaste. This was perhaps to suggest Edith's lack of children was not her fault. He claimed Edward had lived without marriage.
In 1139, Osbert went to Rome to ask for Edward's sainthood. He had the support of King Stephen. But he did not have the full support of the English church leaders. Stephen had also argued with the church. So, Pope Innocent II delayed a decision. He said Osbert did not have enough proof of Edward's holiness.
In 1159, there was a disputed election for the pope. Henry II's support helped Pope Alexander III be recognized. In 1160, a new abbot of Westminster, Laurence, took the chance to renew Edward's claim. This time, it had the full support of the king and the English church leaders. A grateful pope issued the official paper making Edward a saint on 7 February 1161. This was because Westminster Abbey, King Henry II, and Pope Alexander III all had reasons to want it. He was called 'Confessor' because he was believed to have lived a holy life but was not a martyr.
In the 1230s, King Henry III became very interested in Saint Edward. He ordered a new book about Edward's life, written by Matthew Paris. Henry also built a grand new tomb for Edward in a rebuilt Westminster Abbey in 1269. Henry III also named his oldest son after Edward.
Until about 1350, Edmund the Martyr, Gregory the Great, and Edward the Confessor were seen as English national saints. But Edward III preferred the more warlike figure of Saint George. In 1348, he started the Order of the Garter with Saint George as its patron. At Windsor Castle, its chapel of Saint Edward the Confessor was re-dedicated to Saint George. Saint George was declared the patron of the English people in 1351. Edward was less popular as a saint for many. But he was important to the Norman kings. They claimed to be the rightful successors of Edward, as the last true Anglo-Saxon king.
The shrine of Saint Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey is still where it was placed. His body was moved to a chapel east of the main altar on 13 October 1269 by Henry III. The day his body was moved, 13 October, is an optional feast day in the Catholic Church of England and Wales. The Church of England's calendar of saints calls it a Lesser Festival. Every October, the abbey holds a week of celebrations and prayers in his honor. Edward is also seen as a patron saint of difficult marriages.
For some time, the abbey claimed it had a set of coronation regalia that Edward had left for use in all future coronations. After Edward was made a saint, these were seen as holy relics. After that, they were used at all English coronations from the 13th century until Oliver Cromwell destroyed the regalia in 1649. After the Stuart Restoration in 1660, the king had copies of the destroyed regalia made. These are still used as part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom for modern coronations of British monarchs. One of the copies, St Edward's Crown, is still a major symbol of the British monarchy.
What Edward Looked Like
The Vita Ædwardi Regis, a book about Edward's life, says: "He was a very proper figure of a man – very tall, with milky white hair and beard, a full face and rosy cheeks, thin white hands, and long clear fingers. In all the rest of his body, he was a perfect royal person. Pleasant, but always serious, he walked with his eyes looking down. He was very kind to everyone. If something made him angry, he seemed as scary as a lion, but he never showed his anger by shouting." As historian Richard Mortimer notes, this description "contains clear parts of an ideal king, described in flattering words – tall and distinguished, kind, serious, and fair."
Images for kids
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The left panel of the Wilton Diptych, where Edward (centre), with Edmund the Martyr (left) and John the Baptist, are depicted presenting Richard II to the Virgin Mary and Christ Child.
See also
In Spanish: Eduardo el Confesor para niños
- Játvarðar Saga, Icelandic saga about the king
- St Edward's Crown
- St Edward's Sapphire
