Sweyn Godwinson
Encyclopedia
Sweyn Godwinson (c. 1020–1052), also spelled Swein, was the eldest son of Earl Godwin of Wessex
, and brother of Harold II of England.
, Herefordshire
, Oxfordshire
, Berkshire
and Somerset
. He signed his first Royal charter in 1044. He was later exiled from the Kingdom, and died on return from a pilgrimage
to the Holy Land
.
There is some evidence suggesting that Sweyn claimed to be a son of King Canute
, and but his mother indignantly denied this and brought forth witnesses to his parentage.
, the King of Gwynedd
in northern Wales. This allowed the King of Gwynedd to gain the upper hand on Gruffydd ap Rhydderch
, King of Deheubarth and his main Welsh rival. Sweyn supported the King of Gwynedd
with more than words of alliance. In 1046, he joined in on an invasion of Deheubarth.
, the Abbess
of Leominster
, apparently intending to marry her and gain control of Leominster's vast estate. However, the king refused permission and Eadgifu returned to her abbey. Late in 1047 Sweyn left England to take refuge with Baldwin, count of Flanders.
During his exile he travelled first to Flanders
, then to Denmark
before returning to England in 1049 to beg for forgiveness. He appears to have been expelled from Denmark for an unspecified offence. His brother Harold and cousin Beorn first opposed Swegen's return, but Beorn eventually agreed to support him.
While accompanying his cousin to meet the King, Sweyn had his cousin Beorn murdered and was again exiled, condemned as a niðing, a man of no honour.
, or Ealdred, Bishop of Worcester
who had met him in Flanders
returning from his pilgrimage
. In any case, his last stay in England would not be long.
to Jerusalem. It was on his return from there he was killed, although the sources differ on where.
Sweyn had one son, Hakon, said to have been a hostage in Normandy until brought back by Harold in 1064, but nothing more is known of him.
The exile, and eventually death, of Swegen left Harold as the heir apparent of the Godwinson family.
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex , was one of the most powerful lords in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great and his successors. Cnut made him the first Earl of Wessex...
, and brother of Harold II of England.
Early life
In 1043 Sweyn was raised to an earldom which included GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. He signed his first Royal charter in 1044. He was later exiled from the Kingdom, and died on return from a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
.
There is some evidence suggesting that Sweyn claimed to be a son of King Canute
Canute the Great
Cnut the Great , also known as Canute, was a king of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden. Though after the death of his heirs within a decade of his own and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, his legacy was largely lost to history, historian Norman F...
, and but his mother indignantly denied this and brought forth witnesses to his parentage.
Focus on Wales
From the start, Swegen sought peace with Gruffydd ap LlywelynGruffydd ap Llywelyn
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was the ruler of all Wales from 1055 until his death, the only Welsh monarch able to make this boast...
, the King of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
in northern Wales. This allowed the King of Gwynedd to gain the upper hand on Gruffydd ap Rhydderch
Gruffydd ap Rhydderch
Gruffydd ap Rhydderch was a king of Gwent and part of the kingdom of Morgannwg in south Wales and later king of Deheubarth.Gruffydd was the son of Rhydderch ab Iestyn who had been able to take over the kingdom of Deheubarth from 1023 to 1033...
, King of Deheubarth and his main Welsh rival. Sweyn supported the King of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
with more than words of alliance. In 1046, he joined in on an invasion of Deheubarth.
Exile
On his return from this campaign Sweyn abducted EadgifuEadgifu
Eadgifu is an Anglo-Saxon female name which may appear as Edgiva. It sometimes appears as Edith and can therefore be confused with Eadgyth. It might refer to:* Eadgifu of Kent Eadgifu is an Anglo-Saxon female name which may appear as Edgiva. It sometimes appears as Edith and can therefore be...
, the Abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Leominster
Leominster
Leominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...
, apparently intending to marry her and gain control of Leominster's vast estate. However, the king refused permission and Eadgifu returned to her abbey. Late in 1047 Sweyn left England to take refuge with Baldwin, count of Flanders.
During his exile he travelled first to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, then to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
before returning to England in 1049 to beg for forgiveness. He appears to have been expelled from Denmark for an unspecified offence. His brother Harold and cousin Beorn first opposed Swegen's return, but Beorn eventually agreed to support him.
While accompanying his cousin to meet the King, Sweyn had his cousin Beorn murdered and was again exiled, condemned as a niðing, a man of no honour.
Pardoned and restored
Surprisingly enough it appears that Sweyn was pardoned, despite his crimes, the following year (1050), and restored to his office. Some say it was his father Earl Godwin who pleaded his case to the King, others that is was AldredAldred
Ealdred was Abbot of Tavistock, Bishop of Worcester, and Archbishop of York in Anglo-Saxon England. He was related to a number of other ecclesiastics of the period. After becoming a monk at the monastery at Winchester, he was appointed Abbot of Tavistock Abbey in around 1027. In 1046 he was named...
, or Ealdred, Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
who had met him in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
returning from his pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
. In any case, his last stay in England would not be long.
Exile for life
In 1051, Earl Godwin and all his sons were exiled from England following a dispute with the King. Swegen received the sternest judgement of them all, and was exiled for life. Again, he flew to Flanders - this time never to return.Killed on return from pilgrimage
It appears he was driven by remorse for his sins, as he undertook a barefoot pilgrimagePilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Jerusalem. It was on his return from there he was killed, although the sources differ on where.
Sweyn had one son, Hakon, said to have been a hostage in Normandy until brought back by Harold in 1064, but nothing more is known of him.
The exile, and eventually death, of Swegen left Harold as the heir apparent of the Godwinson family.