Godwin, son of Harold Godwinson facts for kids

Godwin, also known as Godwine, was a son of Harold Godwinson, who became King of England. Godwin lived around the years 1066 to 1069. After the Norman conquest of England, he was forced to leave England and go to Dublin, Ireland. From there, he and his brothers led two attacks on south-western England, but they didn't have much success.

Godwin's Family and Early Life

Godwin was likely born in the mid-1040s. His family, the House of Godwin, was very powerful in Anglo-Saxon England. His grandfather was Godwin, Earl of Wessex. His father, Harold Godwinson, later became King of England.

Godwin's mother was Edith Swan-neck. She and Harold were married in a way called more danico (in the Danish manner). This type of marriage was common then, even if the Church didn't officially recognize it.

Harold Godwinson had five sons. Godwin is thought to be the oldest. This is because he was the only one listed as owning land in 1066. Also, a writer named John of Worcester listed Godwin first among Harold's sons. Godwin was probably educated to become a great nobleman. This meant learning military and diplomatic skills. He was too young to fight with his father at the Battle of Hastings. However, he used his skills in the years that followed.

Fighting Against Norman Rule

When King Harold Godwinson died at the Battle of Hastings, it was a terrible time for his family. The Norman leader, William the Conqueror, took over England. Godwin's grandmother, Gytha, tried to resist William. She went to south-west England, where William had not yet conquered.

In early 1068, William's army attacked Gytha in Exeter. Godwin is not directly mentioned in old writings from that time. But it is very likely that he and his brothers, Edmund and Magnus, were there. They would have wanted to lead the fight against William. After 18 days, Exeter surrendered to William. But Gytha, and perhaps her grandsons, escaped. They found safety on an island in the Bristol Channel, probably Steep Holm.

Raids from Ireland

Later that summer, Godwin was in Dublin, Ireland. He was protected by King Diarmait of Leinster. Diarmait had also helped Godwin's father many years before. Godwin was with his brothers Edmund and Magnus. They still had some of their father's soldiers, called housecarls. They also had enough money to hire more fighters.

With a fleet of 52 ships, they sailed to the Bristol Channel. They first attacked the area near the Avon river. Then they attacked Bristol, but the townspeople fought them off. They sailed back to the Somerset coast and landed again. Godwin had owned some small lands in Somerset before. So, they might have hoped to find support there.

However, they met a local army led by Eadnoth the Constable. A fierce battle took place at Bleadon. Eadnoth was killed, and possibly Godwin's brother Magnus too. Godwin then attacked parts of Devon and Cornwall. He returned to Dublin with more wealth, but without a major military victory.

In the summer of 1069, another attack was launched from Dublin. This time, only two of Harold's sons were involved. They sailed with 64 ships to Exeter, but they could not capture it. They then raided parts of south Devon and the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. After that, they sailed around Land's End and landed in the river Taw estuary in north Devon.

They pillaged the area around Barnstaple. Then they moved inland. At the Battle of Northam, they met an army led by Brian of Brittany. Many of their best fighters were killed, and only a few escaped back to their ships. These two attacks showed that the memory of their father could not gain them enough support in south-west England.

Moving East to Denmark

It is likely that Godwin and Edmund went with their sister Gytha, their aunt Gunnhild, and their grandmother Gytha. They fled to St Omer in Flanders around late 1069 or early 1070.

They later went to the court of King Swein Estrithson in Denmark. They hoped that Swein would help them invade England. But he did not. Swein had recently failed in his own attempt to invade England. Also, there was old bad blood between their families. Swein's brother had been murdered by a brother of Harold Godwinson long ago.

Godwin's sister Gytha was married to Vladimir Monomakh, a prince in what is now Ukraine and Russia. This happened around 1074 or 1075. Some historians believe Godwin also moved east. A legend from Lithuania suggests that Godwin, or one of his sons, created a small kingdom there. His descendants might have even become the rulers of Lithuania much later.