The Saxon Earl Who Made Kings
Godwine of Wessex (1001 – 1053) was a nobleman who dominated England in the first half of the eleventh century. Although an Anglo Saxon, Godwine won the favor of the Danish King Canute after the latter conquered England in 1016, and made Godwine Earl of Wessex in 1018. When Canute died in 1035, his demise triggered a succession crisis. His son Harold Harefoot fought for the English throne against Alfred the Aethling, son of Canute’s predecessor, Ethelred the Unready. Godwine became a kingmaker – and not for the last time – when he secured the throne for Harold.
To accomplish that, Godwine feigned loyalty to Alfred, and lured him to London, where he was seized in an ambush. Alfred was then blinded, and died in captivity soon thereafter. However, Harold died in 1040, and his heir was his half-brother Harthacanut, King of Denmark. That was awkward for Godwine, because Harthacanut also happened to be a half-brother of the betrayed Alfred. The Earl of Wessex managed to worm his way out of Harthacanut’s vengeance when he claimed that he had acted under Harold’s orders. As seen below, it worked.