Wulfnoth Cild facts for kids

Wulfnoth Cild (died around 1014) was an important leader from South Saxony. Historians believe he was the father of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. This means Wulfnoth was also the grandfather of King Harold II, a famous English king. Wulfnoth was a "thegn," which was like a noble or a high-ranking warrior in Anglo-Saxon England.

Wulfnoth's Life and Times

Historians know that Godwin's father was named Wulfnoth. A historian named Frank Barlow found strong proof. He noted that the Godwin family owned huge amounts of land in Sussex. This land ownership shows that Wulfnoth Cild was indeed the South Saxon thegn.

Building a Fleet for England

In the year 1008, King Æthelred the Unready gave an order. He wanted a large fleet of ships to be built. The next year, in 1009, about 300 ships gathered at Sandwich, Kent. They were there to prepare for a possible Viking invasion.

A Conflict and Its Consequences

During this time, a man named Brihtric made accusations against Wulfnoth. Brihtric was the brother of Eadric Streona. A writer named John of Worcester said these accusations were unfair. Wulfnoth then left with twenty ships. He sailed along the south coast, causing damage.

Brihtric followed Wulfnoth with eighty ships. But a big storm hit Brihtric's fleet. Many of his ships were pushed onto the shore. Wulfnoth then burned these ships. After this event, England lost a third of its fleet. The remaining ships went back to London. This made it easier for the Vikings to invade Kent without anyone stopping them. Because of these events, King Æthelred likely took away Wulfnoth's property.

Wulfnoth Cild died by June of the year 1014.

Wulfnoth's Lasting Impact

There is a church in London called St. Mary Woolnoth. It was started by an Anglo-Saxon nobleman named Wulfnoth. This nobleman might be the same Wulfnoth Cild from Sussex.

See also

• House of Wessex family tree
• Cnut the Great's family tree
• Ancestry of the Godwins