Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Significance & Power of the House of Godwin (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
The House of Godwin & King Cnut - Summary
Before King Cnut's takeover of the English throne in 1016, Godwin had relatively little power in England. Historians believe that Godwin was the son of a thegn in Sussex. King Cnut favoured Godwin. Even though Godwin was not a Danish noble, Cnut believed he was faithful and honest. He made Godwin an earl in 1018 and bestowed the earldom of Wessex on Godwin in c1020. Between 1019 and 1023, Godwin fought alongside Cnut in expeditions to Denmark. The legacy of Godwin lasted after Cnut died in 1035. Godwin established Wessex as the richest earldom in England. His power under Edward the Confessor grew. He became one of the most powerful men in England and created the house of Godwin. |
Who were the Godwins?
The House of Godwin were an important aristocratic family in Anglo-Saxon England
Godwin was Earl of Wessex
Godwin had helped Edward the Confessor to become King of England
Godwin died in 1053
He left the earldom of Wessex to his son, Harold Godwinson
As the son of Godwin, Harold's surname became Godwinson
Harold was not Godwin's only child
The family tree of the House of Godwin
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The Anglo-Saxon and Norman paper does not require an in-depth knowledge of the House of Godwin. The family tree above only shows the key people in Godwin's family tree.
Students often struggle to spell these Anglo-Saxon names. Their names do not sound the way they are spelt as they originate from an older form of English. Keep practising the spelling of these words until you feel more confident. You could also create a mnemonic for words you find difficult in this topic. This will help you to remember the order of the letters in each word.
The Godwins' Control of England
After Godwin died in 1053, rival earls competed to gain Godwin's land
By the 1060s, the House of Godwin secured their power across England
Where did the House of Godwin Rule?
Children of Godwin | Title | Year of title | Advantage of title |
|---|---|---|---|
Harold | Earl of Wessex | 1053 | Harold had control of the richest earldom in England. He also had a powerful position as the king's adviser |
Tostig | Earl of Northumbria | 1055 | The house of Godwin now had control in the North of England. A friendship with Scotland could strengthen their power in England |
Gyrth | Earl of East Anglia | 1057 | With his brother Leofwine, controlled the whole of East England |
Leofwine | Earl of a smaller earldom in the south-west Midlands | 1057 | With his brother Gyrth, controlled the whole of East England |
Why was the House of Godwin so Powerful?
The Godwins owned a vast amount of land in England
Landholdings made the Godwins a lot of money
By the 1060s, the Godwins had nearly as much money as Edward the Confessor
Land also gave the Godwins a large number of thegns
The Godwins could raise a large fyrd under these thegns
The Godwins held key areas of England, which increased their importance
Wessex defended England from invasions and attacks from France
The earldom of Hereford was used to launch attacks on Wales
Their earldoms also increased through political marriages
Godwin's daughter Edith was the wife of Edward the Confessor
Some historians claim that Harold had two wives
Danelaw allowed a man to marry twice
Harold's first wife, Edith the Fair, had claims to large areas of land in East Anglia
There is debate among historians whether Edith was Harold's mistress or wife
In 1066, Harold married a different Edith. She was the widow of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, the King of Wales
This gave Harold influence over Wales
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the power of the House of Godwin
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of the power of the House of Godwin was the amount of land that they owned (1). By the 1060s, the Godwins' landholding meant that they had nearly as much money as Edward the Confessor (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
The Godwins, Mercia & Wales
The Godwins' power was not uncontested. Two of their biggest rivals were:
Aelfgar, the Earl of Mercia
Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, the King of Wales
How did Mercia Threaten the Power of the House of Godwin?
The earldom of Mercia fell between the earldoms of Northumbria and Wessex.
Aelfgar profited from Godwin's exile in 1051
Edward gave Aelfgar the earldom of East Anglia
Edward forced Aelfgar to return the earldom to Godwin in 1052
Aelfgar continued to fight for the control of East Anglia in the 1060s
Mercia bordered Wales
Aelfgar formed an alliance with Llywelyn, the King of Wales
This caused Edward to exile Aelfgar twice in the 1050s
How did Wales Threaten the Power of the House of Godwin
Llywelyn was very powerful
Llywelyn brought the whole kingdom of Wales under his control in 1055
In 1055, Llywelyn fought alongside Aelfgar against Edward the Confessor
Aelfgar was the house of Godwin's biggest threat
Llywelyn's involvement in the failed attack made Llywelyn an enemy of the Godwins
In 1062, Aelfgar died
Aelfgar's death left Llywelyn vulnerable to the house of Godwin
Harold sailed to South Wales and Tostig marched an army to North Wales
The Godwins' armies killed Llywelyn
Harold sent Llywelyn's head to Edward
Harold chose the new King of Wales to ensure they were loyal to him
Why did Edward the Confessor's Connection to Normandy Affect the Godwins?
There was an uneasy relationship between Edward and the Godwins throughout his reign
The Godwins' Relationship with Edward the Confessor
Positives between the Godwins and Edward | Negatives between the Godwins and Edward |
|---|---|
Edward relied on the house of Godwin to fight foreign threats. For example, Edward made Tostig the Earl of Northumbria over the rightful heir, Waltheof. Tostig was old enough to lead an army to stand up against the threat of Norway | Edward knew that the house of Godwin was too powerful. In 1050, Edward exiled Godwin. Godwin had refused to punish Dover after they attacked an embassy from Boulogne |
Edward was married to Godwin's daughter, Edith. This made Edward a relation to the Godwins. Any sons that Edith and Edward produced would become claimants to the English throne | Norman sources state that Edward had offered William, the Duke of Normandy, the English throne upon his death. Edward insisted this was on condition of William's support against Godwin |
How was Edward Connected to Normandy?
Normandy was an independent dukedom in c1060
Normandy fought against France and counties like Brittany
Edward had a close link to Normandy because:
His mother was from Normandy
Vikings seized his father's throne and exiled Edward and his family to Normandy in 1016
Edward lived in exile in Normandy for 25 years
Edward continued his connection with Normandy after he became king in 1042
He brought Norman friends into the royal court
Why did Edward's Connection with Normandy Annoy the Godwins?
In 1042, Edward appointed some Norman aristocrats to key positions in England
Robert, abbot of Jumièges, became the bishop of London in 1043
The appointments of Normans angered English earls like Godwin
The earls did not like their power being taken away by Normans
It led to Godwin's defiance of the king and his exile in 1050
Harold's Embassy to Normandy
Harold's embassy to Normandy in c1064 on Edward's behalf was controversial
The Interpretations of Harold's Embassy to Normandy
The Anglo-Saxon interpretation | The Norman interpretation |
|---|---|
Harold went to recover two hostages - his brother Wulfnoth and his nephew Hakon | Edward the Confessor sent Harold to speak to William about the English succession. Harold's oath on holy relics was a promise to support William as the future King of England |
Why was Harold's Embassy to Normandy Important?
Edward trusted Harold on important missions
Whether to collect hostages or to discuss the English succession, the purpose of the trip was important
The embassy shows the close relationship between England and Normandy
Edward could send advisers to William knowing that they would be protected
Harold gained a reputation as an oath-breaker
Oaths played an important role in the eleventh-century
The incident was used against Harold in 1066
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question could ask you to explain why there was a succession crisis after Edward the Confessor's death. Harold's embassy to Normandy is a key reason for this confusion. From c1064, William, Duke of Normandy, believed that he had a claim to the English throne. As a result, it was unclear who would be the next King of England in 1066.
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