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From: Leo van de Pas < >
Subject: Lady Godiva
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 13:27:36 +0800


I haven't followed the Edwin story, my
apology for that. However, I spotted one
remark and I would like to question that.
Without going into details I would like
to give what I have on Lady Godiva, and
please tell me what is wrong or add if you
can.

Leofric, Earl of Mercia. From 1005 he
was known as thegn and, from 1026, "dux" and,
by 1032, was Earl of Mercia. He founded
the church of Coventry. On 30 October 1057
he passed away at Bromley, County Stafford.
He was very wise, before God and before
the world, in what availed all this nation.
He was buried at Coventry and his son Alfgar
succeeded to his authority.

Leofric was married to Lady Godiva, a religious
benefactress who---according to tradition when
her husband Leofric, Earl of Mercia, imposed
a heavy tax on the townsfolk of Coventry
(1040)---obtained its remission by riding
naked through the market place. The story
occurs in Roger of Wendover (1235). Some
writers assert that Lady Godiva ordered all
to remain indoors, which they did except for
the famous Peeping Tom, but he is a later
addition to the story.
An explanation of the Lady Godiva story could well be the survival of a
Celtic pagan celebration in honour of the goddess-spirit, Epona. To
celebrate the passage of the Moon
across the night sky and, at the same time, the change from winter to
spring, a tradition of a naked lady with long hair riding on a white
horse had survived. Quite possibly Leofric,
Earl of Mercia, had dared his wife, Godiva,
to take the local girl's place in the procession.

The son of Leofric and Godiva :

Alfgar "the Saxon", Earl of Mercia,
died circa 1059/1062 was married to
Elfgifu, daughter of Sigeferth and
Ealdgyth. In 1055, he was forced to seek
the protection of Gruffyd in Wales, in
that year Gruffyd and Alfgar burned down
St.Aethelbert's minster and all the town
of Hereford.
In 1058 Alfgar, without having given
reason, was outlawed, and went to Ireland
and Wales where he got himself a great band
and then travelled to Hereford. After a violent
battle Alfgar was reinstated and given back
all that had earlier been taken from him.

Alfgar and Elfgifu are the parents of :

1.Edwin

2.Morcar

3.Ealdgyth of Mercia
married (1) circa 1056
Gruffyd ap Llywelyn, King of Deheubarth
1044-1063, son of Llywelyn ap Seiswill,
King of Deheubarth and Gwynedd, and
Angharad of Wales
As a youth he was slow and listless but
grew into a courageous and ambitious leader
who won Gwynedd and Powyss by battle in 1039
and defeated the Mercians. He contested with
Gruffyd, son of Rhydderch ab Iestyn, over
Deheubarth; but by 1055 he was king of all
Wales. About 1065 he married Ealdgyth, daughter
of Alfgar, Earl of Mercia, and they became
the parents of three children.
There was a lengthy struggle with Harold Godwinson and, when Harold
attacked his court at Rhuddlan through the treachery of his own men,
Gruffydd ap Llywellyn was killed in 1063. His widow then married Harold
Gowdinson who, as King Harold II of England, in turn was killed in 1066 in
the battle of Hastings.
EALDGYTH of Mercia married (2) 1065
Harold II, King of England, son of
Godwin, Earl of Wessex and Gytha, born
circa 1020, killed in battle 14 October 1066
at Hastings.
He was the second son of Earl Godwin and by 1045 was Earl of East Anglia.
In 1053 he succeeded to his father's erldom of Wessex. Hence forward
he was the right-hand man of King Edward the Confessor and directed the
affairs of the kingdom with unusual gentleness and vigour.
His brother Tostig became Earl of the Northumbrians in 1055 and, two
years later, two other brothers were raised to earldoms. Meantime, Harold
frove back the Welsh marauders and added
Herefordshire to his earldom. The death in 1057 of the Aetheling, Edward,
son of Edmund Ironside,
opened up the path for Harold's ambitious hopes of the crown.
He made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1058 and, after his return, completed
his church at Waltham. In 1063, provoked by the fresh incursions of the
Welsh King Gruffyd, he marched
against him, traversed the country, beat the enemy at every point, and gave
the government to the dead king's brothers.
It is impossible to state exactly the date
of Harold's visit to Duke William in Normandy, although it is put at 1064.
Probably Harold did make some kind of oath to William, most likely under
compulsion. It is certain, however, that Harold helped William in a war
with the Bretons.
On his return he married Ealdgyth, Gruffydd's widow, even though Edith
Swan-neck, who had borne him five children, was still alive. In 1065 the
Northumbrians rebelled against Tostig and Harold acquiesced in their choice
of Morcar and Tostig's banishment. In January 1066 King Edward died.
Harold, his nominee, was chosen king and crowned in Westminster Abbey.
Duke William lost no time in preparing for the invasion of England; and
Tostig, after trying the Normans and the Scots, succeeded in drawing Harold
Hardrada, King of Norway, to his side. In September the two reached the
Humber and Harold
marched to meet them. At Stamford Bridge he won a complete victory on 25
September 1066, Tostig and Harold Hardrada being among the slain. But four
days later William landed at Pevensey. Harold marched southwards with the
utmost dispatch and the two armies met at Senlac, about nine miles from
Hastings. From nine in the morning, 14 November 1066, the English fought
stubbornly until nightfall, when the pretended flight of the Normans drew
them from their impregnable position and gave the Normans victory. Harold
himself fell pierced through the eye with an arrow. His body was recognised
by Edith Swan-neck and he was buried at Waltham.

Ealdgyth and Gruffyd had the follow children:
a.Maredudd ap Gruffydd
died in 1070
b.Idwal ap Gruffydd
died 1070
c.Nesta
born circa 1055/1057
married Osbern FitzRichard
daughter :
a.Agnes 'Nesta'
married Bernard de Neufmarche,
Lord of Brecknock, son of Geoffrey
and Ada de Hugleville
parents of :
1.Sibyl de Neufmarche
buried Llanthony Priory, Gloucester
married 1121
Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford
son of Walter of Gloucester and Bertha
died 24 December 1143 buried at
Llanthony Priory, Gloucester
children :
1.Margaret of Gloucester
married Humphrey de Bohun,
son of Humphrey de Bohun "the Great"
and Maud de Saresbury
(children)
2.Bertha of Gloucester
married circa 1150
William de Braose, Lord of Bramber
son of Philip de Braose and Ainor
de Totness
(children)
3.Lucy of Hereford
married Herbert FitzHerbert, son of
Herbert Fitzherbert and Sibyl Corbet
(children)
Ealdgyth and Harold II were the parents of
d.Harold of Wessex

Sources :
Burke's Extinct Peerage, 1866

Burke's Guide to the Royal Family

The Complete Peerage

The Plantagenet ancestry, by Turton

Europaische Stammtafeln (Schwennicke)

The Lineage and Ancestry of HRH Prince
Charles, by Gerald Paget

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
London 1997, editor Michael Swanton

I look forward to remarks.
Best wishes
Leo van de Pas

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