The House of Godwin: The Rise and Fall of an Anglo-Saxon Dynasty

I’d thoroughly recommend this book. Harold and his ancestors kept popping up in other historical biographies I’ve read from this period and I wanted to learn more. This book definitely didn’t disappoint. Easy to read, it’s absorbing and fascinating. I couldn’t put it down. Full of interesting detail it takes you through the Godwin generations. Well worth reading.

Great book, well written and well researched. Nuanced view at several of the most important aspects / historic moments. Despite having read extensively about the period, it was still a fascinating read. Highly recommended.

A detailed and open minded exploration of three Godwin generations. The story’s climax is the Battle of Hastings although I think the author has omitted one of the best options for the site if the battle.

Michael Key’s latest book charting the rise and eventual collapse of this powerful dynasty is both scholarly and full of engaging narratives. His research in primary and secondary sources is very extensive with a strong focus on the evidence, and where accounts are conflicted he clarifies and offers well thought-out and alternative interpretations of events; there are many highlights.Godwin, following his rise to earldom under Canute, continued as senior royal advisor increasing his authority and the status of his family under three further kings during seven turbulent years. The attempted invasions by the aethlings Edward and Alfred, leading to the death of the latter, are analysed in engaging detail, as are Godwin’s skill and guile in negotiating this period.Chapter 9 (Return of the Godwinsons) gives a riveting account of the implementation of Godwin’s audacious plan in 1052 to return from exile in Belgium. From his assessment of potential support across Wessex, through his landing in Kent with two of his sons, raiding King Edward’s estate in Portland, and then, joined by Harold, expanding his fleet and army as he followed the coast past Deal and sailed up the Thames to challenge the King’s fleet. With the opposing armies confronting each other across the river in a dramatic stand-off, finally, through negotiation, Godwin’s stronger support secured for him and his family the restoration of their previous positions and all that had been taken from them in the preceding year.There is much interesting detail of the Godwinson’s involvement in events leading up to the Norman invasion, particularly Harold’s unfortunate visit to Normandy and Tostig’s support of the Norse invasion. The sources on William’s preparation for the landing at Pevensey Bay and the debated location of and events during the subsequent battle are closely researched and the options considered.Plenty of support is given in the introduction and elsewhere for readers who may not be familiar with Anglo Saxon names, roles, customs, and documents, and the book richly deserves wide appeal.

It was so nearly so different. Having risen from relative obscurity, Earl Godwin had married his eldest daughter to Edward, the king of England, and raised his sons to the most important earldoms in the country. When Godwin died, his surviving sons, Harold and Tostig, slipped smoothly into the positions of command and influence that Godwin had earned during his life, becoming the effective rulers of the kingdom as Edward slowly released the reins of power.With Edward childless, the question of the succession increasingly dominated the last years of his reign. Tostig, who Key argues might have been Edward’s favourite among the four Godwinson earls, was banished in 1065 following a revolt by the northern nobility, with Harold’s connivance. A furious Tostig, nursing his sense of betrayal, went looking for foreign backers to help him reclaim his inheritance and found a backer in Harald Hardrada, the king of Norway and the most famous warrior of the age.Harold, who by this time had been crowned king following Edward’s death, was concentrating on the threat from Normandy: Duke William claimed that Edward had promised the crown to him. Hearing of his brother’s invasion, Harold rushed north, killed Tostig and Harald at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, only to hear that William had landed in Sussex…In this fascinating book, Michael John Key recounts the extraordinary rise and the even more dramatic fall of the House of Godwin and successfully argues that, if Harold had prevailed at Hastings (and it was a very close-run thing) he would have gone on to be regarded as one of the great kings of English history, and Earl Godwin as the founder of one of the great royal dynasties. But Harold’s exhausted men, having fought one battle 19 days earlier, were unable to hold out to nightfall in the second. William won, and history took one of its sharpest turns.

Interesting to see how Harold II came to the throne without a hereditary claim. Content was full of insight and intrigue, explaining how Godwin was an outstanding influencer to the Court. Very well written historical book about the last of the great Anglo-Saxon family prior to the Norman Conquest. Fantastic historical research, bringing to light a topic that has not really been so clearly presented before.

Though I’ve read pretty much everything on the Godwins at some point I really enjoyed this and even learnt quite a bit of new (at least to me) informationPersonally with regards to the location of the Battle of Hastings I lean towards the Heathfield hypothesis put forward recently by Rebecca Welshman and Simon Coleman. Their detailed analysis at least makes for great further reading - perhaps that possibility could be explored if this gets a further addition?But regardless of that this was really great and I appreciate the abundance of references throughout

I’ve recently gotten interested in the Anglo-Saxon period of England, and found the rise and fall of the Godwin dynasty very interesting, and this is exactly what I have been looking for. The author presents a lot on information and possibilities on the events and personalities of the Godwins, using the available evidence, and acknowledging when there is no evidence, rather than just making something up. He’ll use logic to suggest some stuff, but always makes sure to stress that it’s just a possibility. Highly recommend if you want to know more about 11th century England!