‘Edward the Confessor entirely lacked the qualities needed for successful resistance to the Godwins.

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Discuss.

Thesis:

 The Norman sources portray Edward as a deeply religious figure and his name as the
Confessor reflects his piety. Osbert of Clare and Ailred of Rievaulx both focus on Edwards
chastity, but both of these accounts are written in hindsight so may have commented on his
deeply religious views to portray him as an unfit ruler. This promoted the view that Edward
was unfit to rule Anglo Saxon England and gives justification for William of Normandy
(William the Conqueror) to take over.

 Historian Richard Huscroft alludes at the fact that it was only after 1052 and the end of the
Godwin Crisis (1051-52) that Edward lacked the qualities to resist the Godwins. From 1053
onwards Edward hardly resisted the Godwins and focused most of his attention towards
Westminster Abbey. His weakness and retreat into inactivity, 1052-66, furthermore gives
rise to the Godwins as he appoints Tostig the earl of Northumbria in 1055. Then again during
1057 Harold Godwinson took Hereford and Gyrth Godwinson took East Anglia and by 1058
the Godwinsons ruled over all of England except Mercia. This is backed by Robin Fleming
who suggests the Godwins ability to accumultate more land than Edward shows his
incompetence.

 Edward’s inertia allowed the Godwins to return from exile and take over most of Wessex
before Edward gives in and reinstates them to their original land. This in turn leads to the
exile of many Normans, including the Archbishop Robert of Jumieges. The Normans short-
lived stay in England shows the little resistance Edward has over the Godwins and with the
Normans gone Edward has nobody from which he can draw his support, leaving him
vulnerable to the power of the Godwins.

 Edward’s vacillating nature makes him promote both the Godwins and the Normans and this
indecisiveness is shown when he exiles Sweyn Godwinson and then in 1050 pardons Sweyn.
This undoubtedly shows Edwards lack of resistance towards to Godwins.

Antithesis:

 Before the Godwin crisis took place, Richard Huscroft points out that Edward was trying to
free himself from the Godwins’ control. In some circumstances he does stand up to the
Godwins and it is shown when he doesn’t send help to Sweyn of Denmark in 1047 although
Godwin tried to persuade him to and then allying with the German Emperor against
Godwin’s ally Baldwin of Flanders in 1049.

 Edward successfully made the Godwins flee abroad after the Eustace-Godwin incident.
Edward ordered Godwin to discipline his men in Kent but Godwins men side with the King
forcing the Godwins to flee.

 The decentralisation of England during Cnut’s reign gave the earls of England far too much
power and this is shown with their reluctance to obey the king. The events on the Thames
river (1052) between Edward and his earls (Siward and Leofric) shows Edwards incapability
 to resist the Godwins because they have more support and so Edward can do nothing but
restore them back to their own lands.

Synthesis:

 Although Edward did have some success in his resistance (before 1052) to the Godwins, it
was only temporary. The failure to implement a power base from which he could draw his
support and his inefficient resistance ended up in his downfall and led to the Godwins having
a stronger grip over England.