Tostig Godwinson (abt. 1025 - 1066)

Born about 1025 in Wessex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Judith (Flandre) of Flanders — married Sep 1051 (to 25 Sep 1066) in Wessex, England

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1066 at about age 41 in Stamford Bridge, Northumberland, England

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Biography

Tostig Godwinson is a member of the House of Godwin.

Birth and Parents

Tostig was the third son of Godwin and Gytha. His older brothers were Svein and Harold, who became King Harold II.^[1][2] His birth date is uncertain.

Early Life

Hardly anything is known of Tostig's life before 1051. The E manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles records that he, his father and his brother Harold helped to repel a raiding fleet in 1046.^[3]

Crisis of 1051

In 1051 a major conflict developed between Edward the Confessor and the Godwin family, brought to a head by a disagreement over the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury and by Edward the Confessor's dismissal of a complaint by Godwin about the behaviour in Dover of Eustace of Boulogne and his retainers: instead of supporting Godwin, Edward ordered him to punish the citizens of Dover, and Godwin refused. Civil war threatened, but in the end the Godwins were forced abroad. Tostig went to Bruges with his parents and his brothers Svein and Gyrth. The next year the Godwins (apart from Svein who died in 1052 while on pilgrimage) returned to England and gained sufficient support for Edward the Confessor to be compelled to accept them back and to restore Godwin to all his lands and his earldom.^[4][3]

Marriage and Children

In 1051, Tostig married Judith, daughter of Count Baldwin IV of Flanders. She was an aunt of Matilda of Flanders, the wife of William, Duke of Normandy and a cousin of Edward the Confessor.^[1][2] The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography suggests that the marriage probably took place while Tostig and his parents were in temporary exile in Flanders;^[1] the D manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles says that Tostig and his wife went with Godwin to Flanders, which, if correct, would mean that Tostig married before the Godwins were forced overseas.^[3] According to an early biography of Edward the Confessor - the Vita Ædwardi Regis, commissioned by Tostig's sister Eadgyth - their children were still infants in late 1065. No names are known for them.^[1][2]

Tostig may have had three illegitimate children, although the Vita Ædwardi Regis suggests that Tostig remained piously faithful to his wife:^[1]

• Skule, named in Snorri Sturluson's King Harald's Saga and in the 13th-century Morkinskinna^[2]
• Ketil, also named in Snorri Sturluson's King Harald's Saga and in the 13th-century Morkinskinna^[2]
• Olav, for whom the only source is Simeon of Durham^[2]

Earl of Northumberland

By Lent 1055 Tostig became Earl of Northumberland, following the death of Siward.^[1][2][5]

He and his wife made valuable gifts to the shrine of St Cuthbert in Durham.^[1] In 1061 they travelled to Rome with Eadred, who had been elected Archbishop of York and who went to be awarded his pallium (a vestment signifying papal confirmation of his election) by the Pope.^[1] The D Manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles states that they suffered major difficulties on their return journey. William of Malmesbury in his account of the life of Wulfstan says they were robbed en route.^[6] According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Tostig had sent his wife on ahead and became caught up in a dispute between Tuscan nobles and the Pope: Tostig's party was attacked by Gerard, count of Galeria, after which Tostig returned to Rome where the Pope gave him gifts and excommunicated Gerard. Tostig reached England in autumn 1061.^[1]

While Tostig was away, Malcolm lll of Scotland raided Northumbria. The Vita Ædwardi Regis refers to earlier attacks by Malcolm, which Tostig had successfully resisted, forcing Malcolm to agree to serve Tostig and Edward the Confessor and to give hostages.^[1]

Wales

Gruffudd ap Llewelyn became chief ruler of Wales in 1055, and posed an active threat to England. In May 1063 Tostig and his brother Harold launched simultaneous attacks on Wales, and many leading Welshmen came to terms. On 5 August 1063 Gruffudd was killed by some of his men, who sent his head to Harold. Harold exacted tribute and installed less troublesome rulers.^[7][8]

Uprising

Tostig was close to Edward the Confessor and was with Edward in 1065, leaving a thegn called Copsi in charge of his earldom. The background to what happened next is unclear. According to the Vita Ædwardi Regis, Northumbrian nobles plotted against Tostig.^[1] The C manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles accuses Tostig of plundering churches, and generally acting against the law.^[8] John of Worcester, in the Chronicle formerly attributed to Florence of Worcester, says discontent was occasioned by the weight of taxation imposed under Tostig and by the killing of three Northumbrian noblemen, Gamel, son of Orm, and Ulf, son of Dolfin, who were connected with the dynasty of Bamburgh which had ruled Northumbria in the past.^[1][9]

On 3 October 1065 discontent erupted into an uprising against Tostig's rule. Rebels entered Tostig's base at York and killed those of his soldiers who did not succeed in making their escape. They named Morcar as earl, asked Morcar's brother Eadwine to join with them, and moved south, killing people associated with Tostig. On 28 October 1065, at Oxford, they demanded Tostig's exile. Tostig accused his brother Harold of encouraging the uprising - an accusation which Harold denied - but Harold failed to support him, and Edward the Confessor ended up accepting the rebels' demands.^[1][8]

Henry of Huntingdon alleges that differences between Tostig and Harold had arisen two years earlier, in 1063, when Tostig, resenting the extent to which Edward the Confessor favoured Harold, seized his brother by the hair as he was serving wine to Edward.^[10]

Death

Tostig went to France with his wife and infant children. In the spring of 1066 he raided the Isle of Wight, Thanet and the eastern coast of England, and then reached Scotland. In September 1066 he joined forces with Harald Hardrada. They defeated earls Edwin and Morcar at Fulford on 20 September, only for their army to be routed by Tostig's brother Harold (now king of England) in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September. Both Tostig and Harald Hardrada died in the battle.^[1][2][8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by William M Aird for 'Tostig, earl of Northumbria', print and online 2004
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} Charles Cawley. Tostig, entry in "Medieval Lands" database, accessed 3 August 2021
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Michael Swanton (translator and editor). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, revised edition, Phoenix Press, 2000, pp. 168-183
4. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Ann Williams for 'Godwine [Godwin], earl of Wessex', print and online 2004
5. ↑ Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, pp. 185-187
6. ↑ Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, pp. 189-191
7. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Robin Fleming for 'Harold II [Harold Godwineson]', print and online 2004, revised online 2010
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, pp. 190-199
9. ↑ Thomas Forester (translator). The Chronicle of Florence of Worcester, Henry G Bohn, 1854, pp. 166-167, Internet Archive
10. ↑ Thomas Forester (translator). The Chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon, Henry G Bohn, 1853, pp. 206-207, Internet Archive

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by William M Aird for 'Tostig, earl of Northumbria', print and online 2004
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Vol. 57, pp. 71-74, entry for 'TOSTIG, TOSTI, or TOSTINUS'
• Cawley, Charles. "Medieval Lands": A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families © by Charles Cawley, hosted by Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG). See also WikiTree's source page for MedLands. Entry for Tostig, accessed 3 August 2021
• Barlow, Frank. The Godwins, Longman, 2002
• McLynn, Frank, 1066 The Year of the Three Battles, Random House. 1999
• English Monarchs : Tostig Godwinson 1026-1066
• Jones, Charles. Finding Fulford - the Search for the First Battle Of 1066, WrotersPrintShop, 2011 (on archaeological explorations)
• Wikipedia: Tostig Godwinson