Two of their sons, Harold and Tostig, faced each other at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where Tostig was killed. Less than a month later, three of her sons, Harold, Gyrth, and Leofwine, were killed at the Battle of Hastings. Shortly after the Battle of Hastings, Gytha was living in Exeter and may have been the cause of that city's rebellion against William the Conqueror in 1067, which resulted in his laying siege to the city.[3] She pleaded unsuccessfully with him for the return of the body of her slain son, king Harold. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Gytha left England after the Norman conquest, together with the wives or widows and families of other prominent Anglo-Saxons, all the Godwin family estates having been confiscated by William. Little else is known of Gytha's life after that time, although it is probable that she went to Scandinavia where she had relatives.
Her surviving (and youngest) son, Wulfnoth, lived nearly all his life in captivity in Normandy until the death of William the Conqueror in 1087. Only her eldest daughter, Queen Edith (d. 1075), still held some power (however nominal) as the widow of King Edward the Confessor.
^Mercedes Rochelle (2014). "Gytha, wife of Godwine". Historical Britain. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
^Late pedigrees make Thorgil the son of the disinherited SwedishprinceStyrbjörn Starke, the conqueror of Jomsborg, and Tyra, the daughter of Harold Bluetooth king of Norway and Denmark. However, this descent from the old Swedish and Danish royal houses is believed to be a late invention to give her brother, the ancestor of later Danish kings, some claim to royal blood.
^Hoskins, W. G. (2004). Two Thousand Years in Exeter (Revised and updated ed.). Chichester: Phillimore. pp. 25–26. ISBN1-86077-303-6.
Related Reading
Barlow, Frank (1988) The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042–1216 (New York: Longman) ISBN0-582-49504-0
DeVries, K. (1999) The Norwegian Invasion of England in 1066 (Woodbridge, UK: Boydell Press) ISBN0-85115-763-7
Mason, Emma (2004) House of Godwine: The History of Dynasty (London: Hambledon & London) ISBN1-85285-389-1
Rex, Peter (2005) Harold II: The Doomed Saxon King (Stroud, UK: Tempus) ISBN978-0-7394-7185-2
Walker, Ian (2000) Harold the Last Anglo-Saxon King (Gloucestershire: Wrens Park) ISBN0-905778-46-4
gytha, thorkelsdóttir, this, article, about, wife, godwin, other, people, gytha, disambiguation, 1069, also, called, githa, danish, noblewoman, wife, godwin, earl, wessex, mother, king, harold, godwinson, edith, wessex, queen, consort, king, edward, confessor,. This article is about the wife of Godwin For other people see Gytha disambiguation Gytha Thorkelsdottir c 997 c 1069 also called Githa was a Danish noblewoman She was the wife of Godwin Earl of Wessex and the mother of King Harold Godwinson and of Edith of Wessex who was the queen consort of King Edward the Confessor 1 Gytha ThorkelsdottirGytha depicted in modern stained glassBornc 997Diedc 1069SpouseGodwin Earl of WessexIssuemore Sweyn Earl of Herefordshire Harold II King of England Edith Queen of England Tostig Earl of Northumbria Gyrth Earl of East Anglia Leofwine Earl of Kent WulfnothFatherThorgil Sprakling Contents 1 Biography 2 Children 3 See also 4 References 5 Related Reading 6 External linksBiography EditGytha Thorkelsdottir was the daughter of Danish chieftain Thorgil Sprakling also called Thorkel 2 Gytha was also the sister of the Danish Earl Ulf Thorgilsson who was married to Estrid Svendsdatter the sister of King Cnut the Great She married the Anglo Saxon nobleman Godwin of Wessex They had a large family together and one of her sons Harold became king of England Two of their sons Harold and Tostig faced each other at the Battle of Stamford Bridge where Tostig was killed Less than a month later three of her sons Harold Gyrth and Leofwine were killed at the Battle of Hastings Shortly after the Battle of Hastings Gytha was living in Exeter and may have been the cause of that city s rebellion against William the Conqueror in 1067 which resulted in his laying siege to the city 3 She pleaded unsuccessfully with him for the return of the body of her slain son king Harold According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle Gytha left England after the Norman conquest together with the wives or widows and families of other prominent Anglo Saxons all the Godwin family estates having been confiscated by William Little else is known of Gytha s life after that time although it is probable that she went to Scandinavia where she had relatives Her surviving and youngest son Wulfnoth lived nearly all his life in captivity in Normandy until the death of William the Conqueror in 1087 Only her eldest daughter Queen Edith d 1075 still held some power however nominal as the widow of King Edward the Confessor Children EditSweyn Godwinson Earl of Herefordshire c 1020 1052 at some point he declared himself an illegitimate son of Canute the Great but this is considered to be a false claim Harold Godwinson King of England c 1022 October 14 1066 Edith of Wessex c 1025 December 19 1075 queen consort of Edward the Confessor Tostig Godwinson Earl of Northumbria c 1026 September 25 1066 Gyrth Godwinson Earl of East Anglia c 1030 October 14 1066 Gunhilda of Wessex a nun c 1035 1080 Leofwine Godwinson Earl of Kent c 1035 October 14 1066 AElfgifu of Wessex c 1035 Wulfnoth Godwinson c 1040 1094 See also EditHouse of Wessex family tree Cnut the Great s family treeReferences Edit Mercedes Rochelle 2014 Gytha wife of Godwine Historical Britain Retrieved 1 April 2016 Late pedigrees make Thorgil the son of the disinherited Swedish prince Styrbjorn Starke the conqueror of Jomsborg and Tyra the daughter of Harold Bluetooth king of Norway and Denmark However this descent from the old Swedish and Danish royal houses is believed to be a late invention to give her brother the ancestor of later Danish kings some claim to royal blood Hoskins W G 2004 Two Thousand Years in Exeter Revised and updated ed Chichester Phillimore pp 25 26 ISBN 1 86077 303 6 Related Reading EditBarlow Frank 1988 The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042 1216 New York Longman ISBN 0 582 49504 0 DeVries K 1999 The Norwegian Invasion of England in 1066 Woodbridge UK Boydell Press ISBN 0 85115 763 7 Mason Emma 2004 House of Godwine The History of Dynasty London Hambledon amp London ISBN 1 85285 389 1 Rex Peter 2005 Harold II The Doomed Saxon King Stroud UK Tempus ISBN 978 0 7394 7185 2 Walker Ian 2000 Harold the Last Anglo Saxon King Gloucestershire Wrens Park ISBN 0 905778 46 4External links EditGytha 1 at Prosopography of Anglo Saxon England Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gytha Thorkelsdottir amp oldid 1143287905, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
