Peerage Record – 10218

     Richard III, 5th Duc de Normandie was the son of Richard II, 4th Duc de Normandie and Judith de Bretagne.¹ He married Adèle Capet, Princesse de France, daughter of Robert II, Roi des Francs and Constance d‘Arles, in January 1027.² He died on 6 August 1027 poisoning.²
     He succeeded as the 5th Duc de Normandie on 28 August 1026.¹

     Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie was born on 28 August 933 at Fecamp, Normandy, France^G.² He was the son of Guillaume I ‘Longsword’, 2nd Duc de Normandie and Sprota (?)^1,3 He married, firstly, Emma de Paris, daughter of Hugues of Neustria, Comte de Paris and Hedwig von Sachsen, in 960.³ He married, secondly, Gunnor de Crêpon, daughter of unknown de Crepon, in 962.² He died on 20 November 996 at age 63 at Fecamp, Normandy, France^G.³
     Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie also went by the nick-name of Richard ‘the Fearless’.¹ He succeeded as the 3rd Duc de Normandie on 17 December 942.¹

     Gunnor de Crêpon was born circa 936 at Normandy, France^G.² She was the daughter of unknown de Crepon.³ She married Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie, son of Guillaume I ‘Longsword’, 2nd Duc de Normandie and Sprota (?), in 962.² She died in 1031.²
     She was also known as Gunnora.

     Emma de Normandie was born between 985 and 987 at Normandy, France^G.² She was the daughter of Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie and Gunnor de Crêpon. She married, firstly, Æthelred II ‘the Unready’, King of England, son of Eadgar ‘the Peaceful’, King of England and Ælfthryth (?), on 5 April 1002 at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.² She married, secondly, Canute II Sveynsson, King of England and Denmark, son of Sveyn I ‘Forkbeard’ Haraldsson, King of Denmark and England and Gunhilda of Poland, on 2 July 1017.³ She died on 14 March 1052 at Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.² She was buried at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.²

     Æthelred II ‘the Unready’, King of England was born between 966 and 969.¹ He was the son of Eadgar ‘the Peaceful’, King of England and Ælfthryth (?)³ He married, firstly, Ælgifu (?), daughter of Thored of Northumbria, Ealdorman of York and Hilda (?), between 980 and 985.¹ He married, secondly, Emma de Normandie, daughter of Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie and Gunnor de Crêpon, on 5 April 1002 at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.⁴ He died on 23 April 1016 at London, England^G, murdered.⁵ He died in 1016. He was buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral, The City, London, England^G.⁵
     He succeeded as the King Æthelred II of England on 18 March 978.¹ He was crowned King of England on 4 April 978 at Kingston-upon-Thames, London, England^G.¹ He abdicated as King of England in 1013.¹ He succeeded as the King Æthelred II of England on 3 February 1014.¹
     Ethelred was the son of King Edgar and began to reign when only 11 years old. He was a weakling, totally unable to withstand the Danish onslaught that re-started on his accession. He continually attempted to buy off the Danes – Danegeld – as when he lost the Battle of Maldon in 991. In a state of near panic he ordered the slaughter of all Danes whether peaceful settlers or not and this foul deed was put in hand on St. Brices Day 13 Nov 1002. Among the victims was the sister of Sweyn, King of Denmark. The Norsemen were furious and ravaged the country from Cornwall to Kent and from South Wales to East Anglia. By 1013, Sweyn, who was accompanied by his son Canute, was proclaimed King but he died soon afterwards. Ethelred fled to Normandy when Sweyn’s rule prevailed and then on Sweyn’s death he returned but the English lords placed severe restrictions on him. The Danes led by Canute returned in 1015 and landing at Poole they crossed the Thames at Cricklade.

     Saint Edward ‘the Confessor’, King of England was born between 1003 and 1005 at Islip, Oxfordshire, England^G.¹ He was the son of Æthelred II ‘the Unready’, King of England and Emma de Normandie.² He married Eadgyth of Wessex, daughter of Godwine, Earl of Wessex and Gytha (?), on 23 January 1045.¹ He died on 5 January 1066 at Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London, England^G.¹ He was buried on 6 January 1066 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G.¹
     He succeeded as the King Edward of England on 8 June 1042.¹ He was crowned King of England on 3 April 1043 at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.¹
     Hardicanute’s death ended the male line of the Danish royal house and Edward,the son of Ethelred II, was elected King at London before Hardicanute had been buried. He was crowned at Winchester on Easter Day 1043. Edward was an ascetic and had been brought up in Normandy after Canute came to the throne. He neglected the defence of the land, devoting himself largely to religious matters and founded Westminster Abbey in 1052. Edward made several Normans English bishops and it is alleged that in 1051 he promised William, Duke of Normandy, that he should succeed him as King of England. He laid the foundations of the Cinque Ports. He married the daughter of Earl Godwin, the Danish Earl of Wessex, and there was much intrigue between the Anglo-Danish and Norman elements at the English court. Edward left England weak politically and militarily. He died on Thursday 5th January 1066 and was canonised in 1161. St Edward the Confessor was the country’s patron saint until St George replaced him a few centuries later. On 7 February 1161 , he was canonised.³

     Eadgyth of Wessex was born circa 1020.¹ She was the daughter of Godwine, Earl of Wessex and Gytha (?) She married Saint Edward ‘the Confessor’, King of England, son of Æthelred II ‘the Unready’, King of England and Emma de Normandie, on 23 January 1045.¹ She died on 18 December 1075 at Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London, England^G.¹ She was buried at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G.¹

     Godwine, Earl of Wessex was born circa 987.² He was the son of Wulfnoth, Cyld of Sussex.² He married, firstly, Gytha (?), daughter of Thorgils ‘Sprakalegg’ Styrbjornson and Sigrid of Halland, between 1019 and 1020.¹ He married, secondly, Thyra Sveynsdottir, daughter of Sveyn I ‘Forkbeard’ Haraldsson, King of Denmark and England and Gunhilda of Poland.¹ He died on 15 April 1053 at Winchester Castle, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G, from apoplexy.¹ He was buried at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.¹
     He gained the title of Earl of Wessex in 1020.² He gained the title of Earl of Kent in 1020.

     Gytha (?) was born at Denmark^G.¹ She was the daughter of Thorgils ‘Sprakalegg’ Styrbjornson and Sigrid of Halland.^2,3 She married Godwine, Earl of Wessex, son of Wulfnoth, Cyld of Sussex, between 1019 and 1020.² She died after 1069.¹
     She was also known as Cytha (?)

     Harold II Godwinson, King of England was born between 1020 and 1022.² He was the son of Godwine, Earl of Wessex and Gytha (?)³ He and Adeliza de Normandie were engaged circa 1063.⁴ He married Ealdgyth (?), daughter of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia and Elfleda (?), circa 1064 at York, Yorkshire, England^G.² He died on 14 October 1066 at Hastings, Sussex, England^G, a blow from a sword wielded by a mounted Norman knight.⁵ He was buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex, England^G.⁵
     He and Eadgyth Swanneshals (?) were associated.³ He gained the title of Earl of East Anglia circa 1045.² He succeeded as the Earl of Wessex on 15 April 1053.² He gained the title of Earl of Hereford in 1058.² He succeeded as the King Harold II of England on 6 January 1066.² He fought in the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066.²
     Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and the brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor. Before coming to the throne Harold had been captured in France and, under duress, is alleged to have sworn that he would not accept the English crown but would support William of Normandy’s claim. When Edward the Confessor died the Wittan (Council) elected Harold to succeed him and he was crowned at Westminster Abbey. In Sept 1066 King Harold Hardrada of Norway and Tostig, Harold of England’s half brother, sailed up the Humber and landed at Ricall near York. King Harold marched his army from the South up Ermine Street and decisively defeated the invaders at Stamford Bridge on 25th Sept. Meanwhile, William of Normandy was assembling his forces at the mouth of the Somme and as soon as the wind was favourable he crossed the Channel and landed at Pevensey on the 28th September. Harold force marched south and reached Battle near Hastings on the 13th Oct. The following day, Saturday 14th October 1066, is probably the most memorable in English History. Each army consisted of about 7,000 men but the Normans had the advantage of bow-men and cavalry while the English relied on axe and spear-men. The battle raged fiercely all day and in the evening, William ordered his archers to shoot high so that the arrows would drop vertically. Harold was struck in the right eye and mortally wounded.