by M J Porter
The part that the Earls of Mercia played in eleventh century politics has been largely ignored because of the magnetism of the House of Godwine. This series of books was intended to give a more balanced view of events in England, but I’m aware that there are some who’ll not appreciate elevating the Earls of Mercia at the expense of the Earls of Wessex.
It’s therefore worthwhile mentioning that not only did the contemporary sources seem to have regional bias that favoured the House of Godwine, (yes, even the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and its various recensions) but also that the House of Godwine tangled, and lost with the victors of the Battle of Hastings. There would have been a conscious wish to accord the family as much power and influence as possible to make William the Bastard’s triumph over ‘the most powerful family in England’ seem that little bit more magnificent. History is written by the victors, and manipulated by them as well. We should never forget that propaganda is nothing new.
There is no mention of Lady Godgifu’s naked ride through Coventry in contemporary records, but I really felt I couldn’t miss it out. Lady Godgifu has not been my easiest character, and I enjoyed allowing her to be a little rebellious, for once. I think we probably all did. The basis of the Lady Godiva/Godgifu story is a thirteenth century invention.
Like many of their contemporaries, Leofric and Godgifu endowed many religious establishments in Mercia. I like to look at it as the ‘fad’ of the age, with wealthy landholders trying to outdo each other!
I have read somewhere that Harthacnut may have died of leprosy, or, at the least, that he knew he was dying, or that he knew he couldn’t have children. This would explain why he sent for his half-brother on his mother’s side so early in his reign. I’ve decided to give him a form of epilepsy that proves to be life-threatening, and a prophecy to go with it. He died tragically young.
King Harald’s body was allegedly reburied by the Danish community of London, having been found by a fisherman in the Thames (according to the source Florence of Worcester). I’ve allowed Earl Leofric and Lord Ælfgar to become involved in the hunt and reburial. I thought it only right to do so. Also, from Florence comes the idea that Archbishop Ælfric and Earl Godwine were involved in the disinterment of Harald’s body.
Florence of Worcester is a twelfth century source that I would never rely on, but which can ‘flesh’ out the details when writing historical fiction of this time period. If this was a book of non-fiction it would come with a long explanation of the sources used, citing their reliability or not. I think it will suffice to say that Florence of Worcester was writing many years after the ‘facts’. Memory is an unreliable indicator, as is a ‘collective memory.’ It’s worth remembering this when researching anything to do with Anglo-Saxon England.
There are entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for AD1040, 1041 and 1042. They are reasonably ‘chunky’ but actually only give the ‘bare bones’ of the story. I’ve found reference to 6 charters issued by Harthacnut, but only three of these are deemed as authentic as they stand (by Anglo-Saxon experts who know much more than I do). The other three may have been later forgeries (which were a very common practise when monasteries and religious institutions found themselves under threat from greedy kings and earls. If they could ‘prove’ the age of their grants, they were more likely to be upheld).
A monk, probably from St Omer, wrote Lady Emma’s text, the Encomium Emmae, in the years AD1041-2. It’s a blatant piece of political propaganda. It does seem that she had managed to alienate herself from all of her children, but ultimately, her life was tragic – both of her husband’s died before her. And by 1042AD, only two of her five children were still living. Alfred had died in 1037AD, Gunnhilda (daughter with Cnut) in 1038AD and Harthacnut in 1042AD. These three children did not have children of their own.
I made the decision to give Harald and Harthacnut their own books because they have been so largely ignored since their tragically early deaths. Much has been made of the invasion of AD1016, and then the one in AD1066. But like the Tudor period where Edward and Mary are almost forgotten about in the quest to move from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, Harald an Harthacnut almost seem to have never lived.
The events of the remaining years before the Norman Conquest are somewhat better known than those that precede it, and yet, there’s still much for Leofric and Ælfgar to accomplish, and I hope you’ll join me, next year as we continue the story.
There’s a long way to go until AD1066, or rather, a little beyond it. The House of Leofwine was long lived.
If you have enjoyed this book please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. All reviews hugely help all authors, and they need only be a few words. Thank you in advance.
Cast of Characters
The House of Leofwine
Leofric, born AD998
Marries Lady Godgifu in AD1018
Ælfgar, son, born in AD1018
Marries Lady Elgiva, the daughter of Morcar (a thegn murdered by Eadric Streona) and Ealdgyth, the niece of Ealdorman Ælfhelm, (murdered on Æthelred II’s orders early in his reign).
Burgheard – b. AD1038
Eadwine – b. AD1039
Ealdgyth – b. AD1041
Morcar – b. AD1042
Ealdgyth, Leofric’s sister born AD1000
Marries Olaf son of Horic (this is not historically attested, but neither is Ealdorman Leofwine’s daughter – just the vague understanding that he had five children, one of whom is unnamed.) Two children – Brother Leofric of Peterborough (historically accurate, although perhaps not at this time) and Æthelflæd (not historically attested)
Godwine, his younger brother born AD1002,
Eadwine, his younger brother born AD1006, Sheriff of Shropshire, dies in AD1039
Hund, Leofric’s hound, a bit old now
Leofwine, father of Leofric and his brothers and sister, Ealdorman of the Hwicce/Earl of Mercia under Cnut although difficult to pinpoint where his power was based (dies AD1023). Son of Ælfwine who dies at the Battle of Maldon in AD991.
Æthelflæd, Leofwine’s wife (Leofric’s mother – and mother to all of Leofwine’s children)
Northman, Leofwine’s oldest son born AD996, executed AD1017 on the orders of Cnut.
Married Mildryth in AD1011 – two sons born AD1012 – Wulfstan and AD1014 – Ælfwine (not historically attested)
Leofric’s Household
Orkning (son of Horic, one of Leofwine’s household troop)
Otryggr – his son
Olaf (son of Horic) married Ealdgyth, Leofric’s sister (not historically attested)
Godwulf, member of Leofric’s household troop
Winhus, member of Leofric’s household troop
Scirwold, member of Leofric’s household troop
Eadsige, door warden in Oxford
Cena, member of Leofric’s household troop
Æthelheard, member of Leofric’s household troop
Kings/Princes
Magnus, the illegitimate son of Olaf Haraldson, becomes King of Norway in AD1035, following Swein Cnutsson’s exile, and with the support of two regents.
Æthelred II of England (dies April AD1016),
Marries 1) Ælfgifu of York
Has nine children – six sons and three daughters, of which the below are mentioned.
Athelstan (dies AD1014)
Edmund Ironside (dies AD1016) son of Æthelred and Ælfgifu, marries the widow of Sigeforth)
Edward the Exile (son of Edmund Ironside)
Edmund Ætheling (son of Edmund Ironside)
Marries 2) Emma of Normandy
Lord Edward
Lord Alfred (dies AD1037)
Countess Godgifu
m.1 Drogo, Count of Vexin (dies AD1035)
m.2. Eustace of Bolougne
Swein Forkbeard of Denmark (dies AD1014)
Cnut (son) of England (from AD1016 with Edmund/AD1017 sole ruler of England) and Denmark (from AD1018, after the death of his brother, Harald).
His children with Lady Æ
lfgifu –
Swein, King of Norway (AD1030-35)
Harald, Regent/King of England (AD1035-1040) Secretly marries Alfifa (Danish form of Ælfgifu to prevent confusion), one son, Ælfwine
His children with Lady Emma –
Harthacnut, King of Denmark AD1035-1042, King of England AD1040-1042
Gunnhilda, married to Henry, son of Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor, she dies in AD1038
Harald of Denmark (from AD1014 when his father, Swein, dies in England until AD1018 when he dies and Cnut becomes King of Denmark as well).
Lady Estrid, daughter of Swein Forkbeard, wife of Earl Ulfr, with whom she has two children
Svein Estridsson (take their mother’s name, not their father’s who’s killed for treason in AD1026.)
Beorn Estridsson
Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway, dies AD1000 at the Battle of Svølder (ties with the House of Leofwine)
Donnchaid Mac Crinain, King of Scotland (Duncan in Macbeth) dies AD1040
Mac Bethad Mac Findlaich, King of Scotland’s enemy (Macbeth in Macbeth) from AD1040
Duke Robert of Normandy, Emma’s nephew and the second husband of Cnut’s sister, Estrid. He repudiated her. He left one illegitimate son, who would become William the Conqueror. Died in AD1035 returning from a visit to the Holy Land
William of Normandy, still very young at this stage
Godgifu, Dowager Countess of Vexin, daughter of Lady Emma and Æthelred II
Walter, her son with first husband Drogo, Count of Vexin who dies AD1035
Ralph, her son with her first husband
Fulk, her son with her first husband
Married, for the second time, to Eustace of Boulogne after AD1035
Lord Edward, son of Lady Emma and Æthelred II,
Lord Alfred, son of Lady Emma and Æthelred II, in exile in Normandy, dies AD1037 in England.
Gruffydd Ap Llewelyn – King of Powys and later Gwynedd
Cnut’s Wives
Lady Emma, Queen Dowager (King Æthelred’s second wife – renamed from Ælfgifu – mother of Edward, Alfred and Godgifu) (King Cnut’s wife from Summer 1017 – mother of Harthacnut (son) and Gunnhilda (daughter))
Lady Ælfgifu (King Cnut’s first wife, even though also married to Emma – sons Harald and Swein.)
Her brothers are Ufegat and Wulfhead who were blinded by Æthelred II when their father was murdered, the Ealdorman of Northumbria, Ælfhelm, by Eadric in the early 1000’s. Now both dead.
Earls
Earl Hrani (Herefordshire)
Earl Godwine (of Kent and later Wessex)
Married to Lady Gytha, sister of Earls Ulfr and Eilifr
Their children,
Sweyn
Harold
Tostig
Edith
Gyth
Leofwine
Wulfnoth
Elgiva
Gunnhilda
Earl Siward of Northumbria married to Ealdred of Bamburgh’s daughter, Eadwulf of Bamburgh’s niece.
Osbjorn – his son, with first wife, not the Earl of Bamburgh’s daughter/niece
Ealdred (self-styled) Earl of Bamburgh d.AD1038
Eadwulf (self-styled) Earl of Bamburgh, brother to Ealdred of Bamburgh from AD1038-1041)
Earl Thuri of South-West Midlands/Gloucestershire
Osgot Clapa, not an earl but a prominent thegn
Tovi the Proud, one of Harthacnut’s allies
Holy Men
Bishop Lyfing – Bishop of Worcester until he has the diocese taken from him
Archbishop Eadsige – Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop Ælfric – Archbishop of York and Bishop of Worcester
Brother Leofric (Leofric’s nephew – historical, although perhaps not at this time.)
Bishop Ælfweard – Bishop of London
Bishop Brihtwold – Bishop of Ramsbury
Misc (mostly fictional)
Lord Otto – ally of Harthacnut’s from Denmark
Hakon, Erik and Gundulf – Harthacnut’s commanders
Reeves Bjorn and Liofa – Danish reeves at Worcester
Edmund the Blacksmith – at Worcester
Frithugar – member of Earl Eadwulf’s entourage
Abbot Ælfhere of Worcester
Edyth – Lady Elgiva’s wet nurse
Places Mentioned (a short list)
St Peter’s Church, London – would become Westminster Abbey
St Mary’s, Worcester
Deerhurst – ancestral home of House of Leofwine
Oxford – place some witans are held. House of Leofwine hold land there (according to Domesday Book).
Worcestershire – on the border with the Welsh kingdoms
Shropshire – on the border with the Welsh kingdoms
The Land of the Scots – not yet Scotland, but getting there!
The Fosse Way and Ermine Street – two of the oldest roads in Britain
Hurst Spit – opposite the Isle of Wight, where Harthacnut met Lord Edward
Sandwich – busy harbour, where Harthacnut claimed the English crown
Kingston upon Thames – where Harthacnut’s coronation takes place. It had been used many times by England’s kings for the coronation.
Coventry – part of Mercia. According to Domesday Book, Leofric held land there.
Worcester – Leofric was Sheriff of Worcester before he became Earl of Mercia. It is still part of Mercia, but under Earl Hrani’s jurisdiction.
Meet the Author
I'm an author of fantasy (viking age/dragon themed) and historical fiction (Early English, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. I write A LOT. You've been warned! Find me at https://mjporterauthor.com and @coloursofunison on twitter.
Books by M J Porter (in series reading order)
Gods and Kings Series (seventh century Britain)
Pagan Warrior
Pagan King
Warrior King
* * *
The Tenth Century
The Lady of Mercia’s Daughter
A Conspiracy of Kings
Kingmaker
The King’s Daughters
* * *
Chronicles of the English (tenth century Britain)
Brunanburh
Of Kings and Half-Kings
The Second English King
* * *
The Mercian Brexit (can be read as a prequel to The First Queen of England)
* * *
The First Queen of England (can be read as a prequel to The Earls of Mercia)
The First Queen of England Part 2
The First Queen of England Part 3
The King’s Mother (can be read as a sequel to The First Queen, or a prequel to The Earls of Mercia)
The Queen Dowager
Once A Queen
* * *
The Earls of Mercia
The Earl of Mercia’s Father
The Danish King’s Enemy
Swein: The Danish King
Northman Part 1
Northman Part 2
Cnut: The Conqueror
Wulfstan: An Anglo-Saxon Thegn
The King’s Earl
The Earl of Mercia
The English Earl
The Earl’s King
Viking King
The Dragon of Unison (fantasy based on Viking Age Iceland)
Hidden Dragon
Dragon Gone
Dragon Alone
Dragon Ally
Dragon Lost
Dragon Bond
As JE Porter
The Innkeeper
ter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
