Lesson 2: Death of Edward the Confessor

Edward the Confessor became king of England in 1042. Later he married Edith Godwin, the only daughter of Earl Godwin of Wessex. After the marriage, Godwin, and his son, Harold of Wessex, were the most powerful men in England and helped to protect Edward against those lords who disliked his rule.

Edward the Confessor and Edith Godwin did not have any children. Edward died on 5th January 1066. The following day there was a meeting of the Witan to decide who would become the next king of England.

A man could become king of Anglo-Saxon England in several different ways:

(a) If he was the eldest son or the closest relative of the last king;

(b) If he was a man who could show he was descended from previous kings of England.

(c) If he had been designated (chosen) by the previous king;

(d) If in the past he had shown he was a good military leader.

(e) If he was so powerful that he could take the throne despite the views of the Witan.

The Witan was made up of a group of sixty lords and bishops and they considered the merits of four main candidates: Harold of Wessex, Edgar Etheling, Harald Hardrada and William, Duke of Normandy.

Activity 1: Print out Chart MR3. Read about the four candidates and then fill in the details on the chart. Leave the space blank if the category does not apply to that candidate. Which candidate would you have voted for if you had been a member of the Witan? Give your reasons.

Activity 2: Look at the illustrations used on the following pages: Edward the Confessor, William, Duke of Normandy and Harold of Wessex. Why might these sources not provide an accurate picture of these characters. Make sure you read about these sources before writing down your answer.

(a) 13th Century illuminated manuscript

(b) King and Queens Cigarette Cards

(c) Bayeux Tapestry