Eadgyth Godwinsdottir (Wessex) England (bef. 1030 - 1075)

Born before 1030 in Wessex, England

Ancestors

Wife of Edward (Wessex) of England — married 23 Jan 1045 in England

Died 18 Dec 1075 after age 45 in Winchester, Hampshire, England

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Eadgyth (Wessex) England is a member of the House of Godwin.

Biography

Origins and Early Life

Eadgyth (often referred to as Edith, the modern form of her name) was the daughter of Godwin and Gytha.^[1][2] Her birth year is not known: based on her 1045 marriage date, her Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry postulates birth no later than 1027.^[1]

She was educated at Wilton Abbey, Wiltshire.^[1][2]

Reign of Edward the Confessor

On 23 January 1045 ("ten days before Candlemas) Eadgyth married Edward the Confessor. They had no children.^[1][2]

In 1051, following the disgrace and expulsion of her father and members of his family, Eadgyth was sent be her husband to confinement at Wherwell Abbey. John of Worcester, in the Chronicle formerly attributed to Florence of Worcester, states that she was deprived of her property, but the Vita Ædwardi Regis, commissioned by Eadgyth after her husband's death, states that she was treated with royal honours and allowed a full retinue.^[1] The next year Godwin and his sons launched attacks on England and Edward the Confessor was compelled to accept them, and Eadgyth, back.^[3][4]

Eadgyth had Wilton Abbey - which had been destroyed in 1003 by Sweyn "Forkbeard" and was previously a wooden edifice - rebuilt in stone.^[2] The new building was dedicated in 1065.^[1]

In 1065 Eadgyth became involved in the friction between her brothers Harold and Tostig. Her attempts to support Tostig failed.^[1] There were rumours that, as part of this, she personally helped to arrange the killing of Cospatric/Gospatrick, heir to the Earls of Bernicia, to strengthen Tostig's position.^[5]

Edward the Confessor died on 5 January 1066. Subsequently Eadgyth commissioned the Vita Ædwardi Regis - an account of the activities of her own family and a biography of her husband - from a foreign clerk, probably from Saint-Omer.

Reign of William the Conqueror

Eadgyth helped to secure the acceptance of William the Conqueror by Winchester.^[1][6] continued to live around Winchester after the Norman conquest, and appears to have been treated well by William the Conqueror.^[2] She kept much of her land.^[1]

Death and Burial

Eadgyth died at Winchester, Hampshire on 18 December 1075^[7] and was buried at Westminster Abbey.^[1][2] After the new shrine there was constructed in the 12th century, her remains were transferred to it.^[8] Her death and burial are recorded by John of Worcester.^[2]

Research Notes

Disambiguation

There are several Ediths in this period who need to be distinguished:

• Eadgyth, born Wessex, 808, died 871. Saint. Edith of Polesworth. Sourced FMG. Daughter of King Ecgbert of Wessex and Redburga. Sister of Athelwulf, Ceowulf and Athelstan. Buried Polesworth Abbey. Partially fits Holy Edith Legend but legend has only brother Arnulf.
• Edith of Polesworth born 895. Daughter of Eadward of Wessex. 12 Siblings. Partially fits Holy Edith Legend but Marriage to Sitric is a separate story.
• Edith born 905 in Wessex. Daughter of Athelstan. Married Reynbourne de Wallingford (fictional person), part of Guy of Warwick legend.
• Saint Edith of Wilton, born 961, Kemsing, Kent. Daughter of King Edward the Confessor and Aethelflaed. Sister of Edward and Aethelred. Sainted after death in 984. Saint Edith of Wilton.
• Aelgifu, born 990, Wessex. Also called Edith. Daughter of Aethelred and Aelgifu. 16 Siblings. Married Uhtred of Northumbria, Mother of Aelgifu of Dunbar. Died Mercia. Sister of Edith.
• Edith of England, born 0995, daughter of Aethelred, born 986, and Aelgifu, born 988, wife of Edric of Mercia. 16 siblings. No children. Sister of Aelgifu.
• Eadgyth Godwinsdottir, born 1020, daughter of Godwin, wife of Edward the Confessor. No children.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Ann Williams for 'Edith [Eadgyth] (d. 1075), print and online 2004
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Charles Cawley. Medieval Lands Database: entry for Eadgyth
3. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Frank Barlow for 'Edward [St Edward; known as Edward the Confessor]', print and online 2004
4. ↑ Michael Swanton (translator and editor). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, revised edition, Phoenix Press, 2000, pp. 173-183
5. ↑ Frank Stenton.Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 1971, p. 578
6. ↑ Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 596
7. ↑ Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, p. 212
8. ↑ Mark Duffy. Royal Tombs of Medieval England, Tempus, 2003, p. 40

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Ann Williams for 'Edith [Eadgyth] (d. 1075), print and online 2004
• Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands Database: entries for:
  • Eadgyth
  • Edward the Confessor
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Vol. 16, pp. 387-389, entry for 'EDITH or EADGYTH (d. 1075)', Wikisource
• Wikipedia: Edith of Wessex