Saint Edward the Confessor: Last of the Saxon Kings?

Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript, with grammatical corrections and formatting improvements for clarity:

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If you asked British schoolchildren what happened in the year 1066, they would undoubtedly answer: the Battle of Hastings, fought on October 14th. It marked the successful invasion of England by the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror. However, earlier that year, another pivotal event took place. Nine months earlier, on January 5th, an elderly king died in the abbey he had built, Westminster. His reign had been largely peaceful, stable, and prosperous, but he passed away without heirs, leaving the kingdom in chaos with four different contenders laying claim to the throne. This is the story of that king, considered by supporters as a fair and pious monarch, but slandered by his critics as weak and ineffectual, yet also prone to violence. He went down in history as both a king and a saint: Edward the Confessor, the last Saxon king of England.

If you know your history, you know that William the Conqueror defeated King Harold Godwinson at Hastings. So, Harold should be considered the last Saxon king, right? Well, yes and no. As we’ll learn later, the legitimacy of Harold’s reign was contested from the very start, and in any case, his tenure on the throne lasted only 10 months. Therefore, it may be more accurate to say that Edward was the last real Saxon king of England, whose legitimacy was not disputed and who sat on the throne for a more reasonable amount of time.

The claim of Edward as Saxon king was upheld by none other than Winston Churchill in his “History of the English-Speaking Peoples.” Sir Winston describes the final moment of Edward: “The lights of Saxon England were going out, and in the gathering darkness, a gentle gray-bearded prophet foretold the end.” On his deathbed, Edward spoke of a time of evil that was coming upon the land, and his inspired mutterings struck terror into the hearers. Thus, on January 5th, 1066, ended the line of the Saxon kings. Churchill wrote this passage in April 1940 when Britain faced the serious threat of a German invasion. We can understand if he foreshadowed the Norman conquest as a time of evil. We can also forgive him for overlooking an important fact about Edward: he was half-Norman by birth and culturally Norman by his upbringing. This is why we have placed a question mark in the title of this episode: “The Last of the Saxon Kings?”

Edward was born sometime between 1002 and 1005 at Islip in Oxfordshire. His parents were Emma of Normandy and King Ethelred II of England. Belonging to the noble house of Wessex, Ethelred was christened as “the Unready,” a title that is more accurately interpreted as “the Unwise” or “the One Without Counsel.” As a king, Ethelred found it difficult to defend his lands from frequent raids by Danish Vikings. He tried to keep the Danes at bay by allying himself with the Normans, cementing this alliance through his marriage to Emma, daughter of the Duke of Normandy. This was Ethelred’s second marriage; he had already fathered six children from a previous wife, of which the eldest, Edmund, was next in line to the throne. Emma gave two children to the Unready: Edward and Alfred. An early biography of Edward claims that all English nobles already hailed him as their next king while he was still unborn. The same text mentions that upon his birth, Edward was entrusted by his parents to the care of a monastic order. This text may have been hagiographic or intentionally aimed at celebrating Edward as a saint. Nonetheless, it sets the tone for two important forces that drove Edward’s future life: his desire to take the throne as a legitimate heir and his deep religious beliefs.

During Edward’s early childhood, his father struggled to keep England free of Danish rule. He resorted to paying what we could define as protection money to the Danes, which was ultimately money that he had extracted from his subjects via a heavy tax known as the Danegeld. The Vikings pocketed the money, of course, but according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, they went about as they pleased. In other words, the bribe money hadn’t really altered their behavior at all. This was so true that in 1013, Danish King Sven Forkbeard invaded England and laid siege to London. Ethelred initially mounted a successful resistance, but English nobles took the occasion to oust him from power, exasperated by his ineffective rule and the burden of the Danegeld.

So why not give the throne to that Danish bloke? Ethelred, Emma, and their two children fled to safety in Normandy, where Edward was first exposed to Norman cultural influences. Sven Forkbeard was crowned king of England on Christmas Day 1013, but his reign was short-lived, as he died just five weeks later. Ethelred the Unready returned to the throne after being recalled from Normandy by the Witan, the council of English noblemen. Ethelred sent some ambassadors led by his son Edward, who couldn’t have been more than 11 or 12 years old, but he acted as a consummate diplomat, reassuring the nobles that his father would rule them fairly and protect them against further Danish offensives.

Ethelred returned during Lent of 1014 and immediately had to prepare to face Knut, the son of Sven, who had very aggressive intentions. The new king of the Danes led raiding parties into much of southern England through 1015 and 1016, plundering and slaying with gusto. His army had grown stronger thanks to an alliance with Edrick, the powerful Earl of Mercia, which is roughly equivalent to today’s Midlands. All the while, Ethelred lay ill in the town of Cawsham, and the marauding Vikings were opposed by his son Edmund, nicknamed “the Ironside.” On April 23, 1016, St. George’s Day, Ethelred died. His people shed few tears, though, as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that he ended his days having held his kingdom in much tribulation and difficulty.

The Witan elected Edmund as king, and the Ironside continued the fight. At this point, our protagonist must have been about 14 years old, and he had displayed religious and diplomatic qualities so far. But it didn’t stop the young prince from proving himself as a formidable warrior. According to a Scandinavian source, during a battle with the Danes for control of London, Edward came within striking distance of King Canute. He then delivered a formidable downward blow with his sword. One of Canute’s lieutenants, Thor called the Tall, shoved his king out of harm’s way, but the force of the blow was such that it smote asunder the saddle and the horse’s back.

After a defeat at Ashington in the county of Essex, Edmund agreed to an alliance with Knut. Under these terms, the Danes would retain control of Mercia and much of the north of England, while Edmund would rule over Wessex, which corresponds to southwestern England from London to Cornwall. In November of the same year, Edmund died of natural causes, and Canute declared himself king of the whole of England, supported by a large part of the Witan.

To ensure the stability of his throne, Canute set about getting rid of his potential rivals. First, he ordered the killing of Edwig, the younger brother of the late King Edmund. Then he exiled the two infant sons of Edmund to Sweden, arranging for them to be assassinated. Fortunately, this didn’t happen, but the two princes would not return to England for decades. The same fate could have befallen Edward and his brother Alfred, so they left the country for a second voluntary exile in Normandy. While there, Edward learned that in July 1017, his mother Emma had married Canute. This was a blow capable of breaking a horse in two. Why had Emma of Normandy married a sworn enemy of their own family?

The marriage was, in fact, an astute power move aimed at smoothing the transition from the old rule of the Wessex Saxons to the new reign. Emma was also aware that her own children were too removed from the line of succession and that she risked deportation or even assassination if she did not accept the offer to marry Canute. Lastly, Emma took the occasion to soften the otherwise harsh rule of Canute, especially in the first years of his reign. While Canute traveled extensively back and forth between England and Denmark, Emma acted as the de facto ruler of the country, reducing, when possible, the heavy taxes imposed by her husband. She also reimbursed church property out of her own pocket after it was damaged by the rowdy Danish army.

So all in all, Emma’s second marriage was less an act of betrayal than a calculated move to protect herself and her adopted country. However, her distant teenage sons may not have understood this notion at the time. Edward spent his formative years in Normandy, gradually turning to the church and religion for comfort, support, and advice. In keeping with his origin story, the prince developed piety and devotion worthy of a bishop, yet he maintained ambitions worthy of a king. He vowed that he would return to England one day as its rightful ruler, but succession was not an easy affair.

First of all, Canute already had a male heir earmarked to take his place: his son Harold Hereford, conceived from a previous marriage. Edward’s ambitions were further frustrated when he learned that Emma and Canute had sired another son, Harthacnut. As we say in England, they had an heir and a spare, leaving very little chance for Edward to return to the throne as Emma groomed Prince Harthacnut for succession. No wonder then that Edward turned to his more distant Norman relatives for familiar comfort and support.

Over the years, Edward cemented his relationship with the Norman aristocracy, bringing them to his cause. The Duke of Normandy himself, Robert the First, attempted an invasion of England in 1034 with the goal of restoring Edward to his rightful position. The expedition was thwarted by unfavorable winds, and the whole project was abandoned when Robert died the following year. In November of 1035, another funeral took place on the other side of the channel: King Canute had died. His son by Emma, Harthacnut, was declared king of Denmark, while Harold Hereford stood as regent in England. Now the de facto king, Harold had no reason to show any loyalty to his dad’s second wife, Emma. He could have gotten rid of her at any moment.

Emma needed protection, and it may be for this reason that she invited her two sons back to England from Normandy. Shortly after their arrival, Alfred was quickly captured by an opportunistic Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who wanted to ingratiate himself with Harthacnut. Godwin slew most of Alfred’s party and then handed him over to Harold. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes what followed as “such a deed more dreary none in this our land was done since Englishmen gave place to hordes of Danish race.” Harold’s men blinded poor Alfred with red-hot pokers and then left him to die inside a monastery. Edward had to escape back to Normandy once again, adding Godwin to his list of enemies.

Without support from her sons, Emma was eventually expelled by Harold and forced to live in Bruges, modern-day Belgium. From there, she once again appealed to Edward, begging for his help in securing the succession in Harthacnut’s favor. Understandably, Edward refused to provide any help. He was pious and religious, but this was taking things just a bit too far. In any case, Emma’s wishes came true even without help from Edward when Harold Hereford died in 1040. Harthacnut was able to take the throne in England. The following year, Harthacnut proved to be a more magnanimous monarch than his father. He did not exile or assassinate potential threats to the throne; actually, he did the opposite. Upon his insistence, he invited Edward back to England and designated him as his successor. Suddenly, Edward was just a few months away from the goal of a lifetime.

In fact, on June 8th, 1042, Harthacnut died in a way befitting of such a turbulent time: he died by poisoning—alcohol poisoning, to be exact. In other words, he drank himself to death. Even with Harthacnut’s blessing, Edward still needed the Witan and the council of nobles to support his ascension. This was not a given, but he did enjoy their support thanks to the lobbying of the three most powerful Saxon earls: Leofric, Cwood, and, wait for it, Godwin, Earl of Wessex. Yeah, the same guy who played lackey to Harold Hereford and who had caused the gruesome death of Edward’s brother Alfred.

It may sound strange, but Edward and Godwin did forge an uneasy alliance born out of political opportunism. And of course, thanks to the Witan’s support, Edward was crowned king of England on April 3rd, 1043. One of the first recorded actions taken by the new king took place on November 16, 1043. Edward, supported by Godwin and his retinue, paid a surprise visit to his mother Emma in Winchester. In a swift action, Edward took revenge upon dear mother. As I explained earlier, her actions after the death of Ethelred may have been politically justifiable, and she had insisted that Harthacnut invite Edward back to England. But on a personal level, it is understandable if Edward felt very little affection towards his mother.

The king seized all of her lands, properties, and jewels. He even had her evicted from her official residence at Winchester Castle. Emma died some nine years later in virtual poverty and obscurity. After this incident, Edward’s reign was fairly stable. As described by biographer William of Malmsbury, “There was no foreign war; always calm and peaceable, both at home and abroad.” He conducted himself so mildly that he would not even utter a word of reproach to the meanest person. Malmsbury clearly appreciated Edward’s rule, praising his domestic policies. In the execution of taxes, he was sparing, as he abominated the insolence of collectors. This good king abrogated bad laws with his Witan, established good ones, and filled with joy all that Britain over which he ruled.

Nonetheless, Edward had to deal with internal conflict. The same earls who had supported his claim soon grew suspicious of Edward’s pro-Norman leanings, which were reflected in his administrative and ruling style. More visibly, the Norman influence was evident in the new abbey he ordered to be built: Westminster Abbey, the first English church in the Norman Romanesque architectural style. Edward knew that of the earls of the Witan, the most powerful was Godwin. He sought to prevent any conspiracy by becoming a relative of his. In January 1045, Edward married Godwin’s daughter, Edith. Godwin may have twirled his mustache at the thought of becoming grandfather to a future king.

Except Edward, constantly torn between political power and religious pursuits, made a vow of chastity. Edward’s demeanor was increasingly priest-like. He was popular among his subjects for his piety and devotion, soon developing a reputation as a holy man. According to several biographers, God glorified King Edward with the gift of miracles. Chronicler Ospert of Clare tells a story of how the king helped a blind man from Lincoln recover his sight. Or how about another anonymous biographer who wrote about a young woman plagued by a nasty infection of the throat and glands? The disease worsened so much that worms, together with pus and blood, came out of various holes. One night, the woman had a dream that she would be healed if the king washed her face. Edward heard about her and agreed to carry out the treatment. Hardly had she been at court a week when all foulness washed away, and the grace of God molded her with beauty. The writer specifies that these prodigies left the English in awe, but also that Edward had been performing similar miracles routinely as a young man in Normandy.

The Normans haven’t quite left the story just yet, which seems like a recurring theme in the life of Edward the Confessor. Edward’s mother was Norman, his upbringing was Norman, and his most trusted advisors were Norman. Sometime during his exile, he had even allegedly designated a Norman heir: Duke William. In 1051, Edward appointed a Norman, Robert of Jumieges, as Archbishop of Canterbury against the direct wishes of his father-in-law, Godwin. Archbishop Robert was not too keen on Godwin either, as he reported that the earl was plotting to assassinate the king. The relationship was reaching a breaking point.

Things went from bad to worse in September when the townsfolk of Dover attacked the retinue of a Norman visitor, the Count of Boulogne. In retaliation, the king ordered Godwin to exact punishment on the town. Godwin refused and began raising an army with his eldest sons, Sven and Harold. The rebel lords marched against the king, who was taken by surprise. The English crown could raise a national militia, but it needed time. Only the most powerful nobles could rely on standing armies, which they could mobilize in a short amount of time. In this case, Edward was saved at the last moment by the earls Seward and Leofric, who led a powerful contingent against Godwin. The kingdom was spared a civil war, though both parties weren’t really keen to fight, and who could really blame them?

Edward and Godwin agreed on a different way to settle their dispute: they would convene a meeting of the Witan in London by the end of 1051, where the Earl of Wessex and his sons would air their grievances against the king. Edward got wind that Godwin, Sven, and Harold were coming to London, but they were bringing along their army too. The king now had more time to act, so he issued an order for the militia to be convened from all English lands. Most of the knights in Godwin’s service were more loyal to the king than to their earl, and so they abandoned the Wessex forces to join Edward. By the time Godwin arrived in London, his forces had just melted away.

King Edward delivered the next blow by outlawing the earl and his family. In a matter of days, they had all left England. Harold and another brother sought refuge in Ireland, while Godwin and his other sons exiled themselves to Flanders. Next, Edward confiscated all of Godwin’s estates and riches before enacting the final stages of his revenge. You may remember that Godwin was actually the king’s father-in-law. Well, Edward decided he couldn’t trust his own wife, Edith, so he sent her away to a nunn