Edward the Confessor
Born in Islip, OxfordshireBorn in 1003
Died on 5th of January 1066
Edward III (The Confessor) was born 1003, in Oxfordshire, he was the eldest son of Ethelred (The Unready) and his Norman wife Emma, he fled England with his parents and went to Normandy when the Danes invaded England in 1013 resulting in Sweyn, the Viking King Of Denmark seizing the throne. Spending his formative years in the Norman Court in exile with his brother Alfred, they remained there during the reign of Canute, until his death in 1035, Alfred's father had died soon after arriving in Normandy . His mother Emma, had returned to England to marry the Danish King Canute, giving birth to three more children. Edwards half brother Hardicanute should have ascended to the throne, but he was in Denmark at the time of Canute's death, grasping his chance Hardicanute's brother Harold Harefoot who was illegitimate, seized the crown, he ruled with an iron fist and was ruthless to the people. Edward and his brother Alfred tried desperately to free them, but were unsuccessful in their attempt, Edward fled back to Normandy, but Arthur was tortured and murdered. King Harold Harefoot died in 1041, which released the throne back to Hardicanute, but he died in 1042. Edward was invited to take the crown, which ended the Viking Dynasty, his Coronation was set for the 3rd April 1043 at Winchester Cathedral. He later married Edith in 1045, who was the only daughter of Godwin, Earl Of Essex. Edward surrounded himself with Normans, which fuelled tensions amongst the Saxon Nobles
Godwin was one of the most powerful Earls of Canute and in 1050, tensions bubbled when Godwin amassed an army to rebel against Edward's instructions to punish a town after his brother in law had upset the town and several people had been killed. Godwin refused and was set to rebel, but Edward was well favoured by the other powerful Earls to the North and had the staunch support of Mercia, and Northumberland, Edward bore grudges against Godwin, and had never forgiven him for the murder of Alfred, his brother, furious Edward banished Godwin and his family from the country.
Edward had been a frugal King, and without the need to raise taxes to fund huge armies for war, filled the coffers of the kingdom, his deep religious beliefs and piety led him to build the stunning Westminster Abbey, although ultimately he had been too ill to attend the consecration of the Abbey. He named Harold as his successor, who was the son of Godwin, instead of the rightful heir Edgar, his grandson. Edward died in January of the important year of 1066, and was buried in his masterpiece of Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded by Harold, Godwin's son, who reigned as Harold II. Although just a few months later William of Normandy was to invade England's shores and change the pages of history and the landscape for evermore. Edward was canonised, and made the patron Saint of Kings, by Pope Alexander III.
Links:
http://www.britroyals.com/kings.asp?id=edwardconfessor Brit Royal Bio
http://www.information-britain.co.uk/famdates.php?id=49 Death of the Confessor
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