Leofric, Earl of Mercia facts for kids
Leofric (who died in 1057) was a powerful leader known as an Earl of Mercia in old England. He helped start important religious places called monasteries in Coventry and Much Wenlock. Leofric is also famous for being the husband of Lady Godiva.
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Leofric's Early Life
Leofric was the son of Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce, a local leader. Leofric had three brothers: Northman, Edwin, and Godwine. Northman was a knight who served a powerful earl named Eadric Streona. Sadly, Northman died by King Cnut's command. After this, Cnut made Leofric an Earl, taking his brother's place. Cnut thought very highly of Leofric.
Becoming a Powerful Earl
Leofric became the Earl of Mercia sometime before 1032. This made him one of the most important people in King Cnut's court. Only Earl Godwin of Wessex was more powerful. Leofric might have been related by marriage to Ælfgifu of Northampton, Cnut's first wife. This could explain why Leofric strongly supported her son, Harold Harefoot, to become king after Cnut died in 1035.
Harold became king but died in 1040. His half-brother, Harthacnut, then became king. Harthacnut made people unhappy by asking for a lot of taxes. In Worcester, angry locals killed two of his tax collectors. The king was so upset that he told Leofric and other earls to damage the city and the areas around it in 1041. This was a difficult command for Leofric, as Worcester was an important city for his people, the Hwicce.
Supporting King Edward
When King Harthacnut suddenly died in 1042, his half-brother Edward the Confessor became king. Leofric was a loyal supporter of King Edward. In 1051, King Edward faced a challenge from Earl Godwin. Leofric and Earl Siward of Northumbria gathered a large army to help Edward.
Edward's advisors suggested that a battle would be a bad idea. Many important nobles might die, which would leave England weak against its enemies. So, they found a less violent way to solve the problem. Leofric suggested that the dispute should be discussed by the Witenagemot, a council of wise men. Because of this, Earl Godwin and his family were sent away from England for a while.
At this time, Earl Leofric was very powerful. However, in 1055, Leofric's own son, Ælfgar, was also sent away from England. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle said this happened "without any fault." Ælfgar then gathered an army from Ireland and Wales. He brought them to Hereford, where they fought with the army of Earl Ralph. They caused a lot of damage to the town. After much trouble, Earl Ælfgar was allowed to return.
Leofric died in 1057 at his home in Kings Bromley in Staffordshire. He was buried in Coventry at St Mary's Priory and Cathedral. His son, Ælfgar, became the new Earl of Mercia.
Religious Contributions
Earl Leofric and his wife, Godiva, were known for being very generous to religious places. In 1043, Leofric started a Benedictine monastery in Coventry. A writer named John of Worcester said that Leofric and Godiva built the monastery from the ground up. They gave it enough land and made it very rich with gold, silver, jewels, and other valuable items. It was said that no other monastery in England had as many treasures as Coventry did then.
In the 1050s, Leofric and Godiva also gave land to the monastery of St Mary in Worcester. They also helped the church at Stow St Mary in Lincolnshire. They are remembered for helping other monasteries too, including those in Leominster, Chester, Much Wenlock, and Evesham.
Leofric's Family
Besides Northman, who died in 1017, Leofric had at least two other brothers. Edwin died in a battle in 1039, and Godwine died before 1057.
Leofric might have been married more than once. His famous wife, Godgifu (also known as Lady Godiva), lived longer than him. It's not clear if she was the mother of Ælfgar, Leofric's only known child. If Leofric and Godiva married later than about 1010, then she would not have been Ælfgar's mother.
What Historians Say About Leofric
Leofric used a double-headed eagle as his personal symbol. This symbol has been used by different parts of the British Army to represent Mercia.
Historians have different ideas about what kind of person Leofric was. Some old stories say he was a harsh ruler who charged too many taxes. However, many historians today believe this is part of the Lady Godiva myth. They think he was a strong and respected leader. There are also different opinions about his skills as a military leader. Some historians think he was not very strong in battle, while others even call him the 'Hammer of the Welsh' because of his strength against the Welsh.
Images for kids
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Above: King Edward the Confessor and Earl Leofric of Mercia see the face of Christ appear in the Eucharistic host; below: the return of a ring given to a beggar who was John the Baptist in disguise. Thirteenth-century abridgement of Domesday Book
