Edward

Edward, nicknamed the CONFESSOR, the last Anglo-Saxon king of the old royal line, was born at Islip in Oxfordshire, the elder son of Ethelred, the Unready, by his marriage in 1002 with Emma, daughter of Richard the Fearless, duke of the Normans. On the death of Ethelred in 1016, Canute obtained possession of the throne, and next year married the widowed Queen Emma, by whom he had two sons, Harold and Hardicanute. Until the death of Canute in 1035, Edward lived in Normandy, but was invited to his court by his half-brother Hardicanute in 1041, and next year succeeded him as king. This was brought about mainly by the great Earl Godwin, whose only daughter, Edith, Edward married in 1045, to treat her, however, throughout his life rather like a father than a husband. He was perpetually influenced by his favourites, who were usually worthless foreigners, and the history of his reign is merely the record of the struggle of the Norman or court party with the national or Anglo-Saxon party, which was led by Godwin and his son Harold. Wars with the Welsh, and an unsuccessful revolt of the Northumbrians, were the chief events in the later years of his reign. Edward died 5th January 1066. He was a poor and spiritless king, who, for his monk-like virtues, was canonised by Pope Alexander III. in 1161. With him the old English monarchy perished, save only for its spasm of dying energy in the few months' reign of the heroic Harold. See Freeman, and the early lives of Edward edited by H. R. Luard ('Record' series, 1858).