Politics - Monarchs - Edward The Confessor 1042-1066

Edward The Confessor

Years of reign

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House: Wessex

Born: 1005 AD Islip Oxfordshire

Died: January 4/5 1066 AD

Crowned: June 8, 1042

Buried: Westminister Abbey

King Edward the Confessor was a king of England who reigned from 1042 to 1066. He was the son of King Æthelred the Unready and his Norman queen, Emma of Normandy. Edward was known for his piety and his role in the revitalization of monastic life in England. He is also remembered for his role in the Norman conquest of England, as he was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England and his death without an heir led to a power struggle between Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror. He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1161.

Timeline

  • 1003: Edward is born in Islip, Oxfordshire, England. He is the son of King Ethelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy.
  • 1013: Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, invades England and forces Ethelred to flee to Normandy. Edward and his family also go into exile in Normandy.
  • 1016: Sweyn Forkbeard dies and Ethelred returns to England. Edward and his family also return to England.
  • 1035: Ethelred dies and Edward's half-brother, Harold I, becomes king.
  • 1040: Harold I dies and Edward becomes king of England.
  • 1042: Edward begins construction of Westminster Abbey.
  • 1051: Godwin, Earl of Wessex, is exiled by Edward but returns the following year with a large army and forces the king to restore his lands.
  • 1065: Westminster Abbey is consecrated.
  • 1066: Edward dies without an heir, leading to a struggle for the succession and the Norman conquest of England.
  • 1161: Edward is recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

During Edward the Confessor's reign, there were several significant issues and events that shaped the political landscape of England. One of the major issues was the conflict between the king and powerful noblemen, such as Godwin, Earl of Wessex. Godwin, who was the most powerful earl in England at the time, had a falling out with the king and was exiled in 1051. However, he returned with a large army the following year and forced the king to restore his earldom and other lands.

Placeholder imageDuring Edward the Another issue that Edward faced was the lack of an heir, which led to a struggle for the succession after his death. He had no children, and his nephew Harold Godwinson claimed the throne, but William, Duke of Normandy also claimed the throne, leading to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Edward was also known for his piety and religious beliefs, he built Westminster Abbey, one of the most important religious buildings in England, and was recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1161.

Edward's reign saw relatively peaceful and prosperous times and marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon era and the beginning of the Norman rule. Edward the Confessor is best known for his religious piety and his role in the construction of Westminster Abbey, which is considered one of his major accomplishments. He began building the abbey in 1042, and it was consecrated in 1065, just before his death. The abbey was built in the Romanesque style, and it was one of the first buildings in England to feature ribbed groin vaults. It was also one of the most important religious buildings in England and served as the royal burial site and coronation church for several centuries.

Another significant accomplishment of Edward the Confessor was his role in promoting the cult of Saint Alban. He built a church dedicated to Saint Alban in Westminster, which was the first church in England to be dedicated to a saint other than an apostle.

Additionally, during his reign England experienced relative peace and prosperity and he was also known for his good governance and his efforts to improve the welfare of his subjects. He was also known for his fairness and justice, and his reputation as a saintly king contributed to his canonization by the Catholic Church.

Finally, his political legacy is important as his death and the succession crisis it caused, was a key factor that led to the Norman conquest of England.

Several historians have written about Edward the Confessor and his reign, here are a few notable ones:

  • Frank Barlow: He is a British historian who wrote a biography of Edward the Confessor, published in 1970, which is considered one of the most detailed and comprehensive accounts of the king's life and times.
  • H.R. Loyn: He is another British historian who wrote a book about Edward the Confessor, published in 1991, where he focused on the king's role in the politics and society of 11th-century England.
  • Marjorie Chibnall: She is a British medieval historian who wrote a book about the life of Edward the Confessor, published in 2006, which explores the king's reign in the context of the Norman conquest of England.
  • David Crouch: He is a British historian who wrote a book about the Norman conquest of England, published in 2009, where he examined the role of Edward the Confessor in the events leading up to the conquest.
  • Emma Mason: She is a British historian who wrote a book about the life and times of Edward the Confessor, published in 2009, where she focused on the king's piety and religious beliefs, and his role in the construction of Westminster Abbey.

Reference: Article by Greg Scott (Staff Historian), 2024

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