Edward the Confessor

Famous for being King of England 1042-1066
Born – c1003 exact date unknown
Parents – Aethelred the Unready, Emma of Normandy
Siblings – Aethelstan, Edmund Ironside, Ecgberht, Edred, Eadwig, Eadgar, Alfred, Goda
Married – Edith of Wessex
Children – No
Died – 5th January 1066

Edward was born around the year 1003 in England. After the death of his father in 1016 the crown passed to Danish Cnut who married Edward’s mother Emma. Edward was exiled to Normandy. When Cnut died in 1035 the throne passed to Cnut’s son by Emma, Harthacnut. Harthacnut died in 1042 and the throne passed to Edward.

In 1045 Edward married Edith, daughter of Godwin of Wessex. This made Godwin the most important man in the country and he had great influence. In 1051 there was a riot between a group of Normans and the local townspeople of Dover which resulted in the deaths of several men. Edward ordered Godwin to punish the people of Dover for attacking the Normans but Godwin refused and was sent into exile.

Edward was a deeply religious man and spent much of his life in building Westminster Abbey which was consecrated on 28th December 1065.

Edward and Edith had no children and when Edward died on 5th January 1066 there were a number of claimants to the English throne.