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Edward the Confessor St Edward the Confessor http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/EdtheCon.jpg Rank: 21st Ruled: June 8, 1042-January 4/5, 1066 Predecessor: Harthacanute Date of Birth: 1004 Place of Birth: Islip, Oxfordshire, England Wife: Edith of Wessex Buried: Westminster Abbey Date of Death: January 4/5, 1066 Parents: Ethelred II and Emma Edward the Confessor (c. 1004–January 4/5, 1066) was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon king of England, ruling from 1042 until his death.1 His reign foreshadowed the country's later connection with Normandy, whose duke William I was to supplant Edward's successor Harold as England's ruler. The king Ethelred the Unready, Edward and his brother Alfred were taken to Normandy by their mother Emma, sister of Normandy's duke Richard II, to escape the Danish invasion of England in 1013. During his quarter-century of exile, Edward developed a familiarity with Normandy and its leaders which was to influence his later rule. Returning to England with Alfred in an abortive attempt (1036) to displace Harold Harefoot from the throne, Edward escaped to Normandy after Alfred's capture and death. He was invited back to England in 1041, this time as co-ruler with his half-brother Harthacanute (son of Emma and Canute), on whose death on June 8, 1042, he ascended the throne. Edward was crowned at Winchester Cathedral on April 3, 1043. Edward's sympathies for Norman favourites frustrated Saxon and Danish nobles alike, fuelling the growth of anti-Norman opinion led by Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who had become the king's father-in-law in 1045. Exiled in September 1051, Godwin returned with an armed following a year later, forcing the king to restore his title. Godwin died in 1053, but his son Harold accumulated even greater territories, and in January 1066 took the throne upon Edward's death. Edward married Edith of Wessex on January 23, 1045. It was a spiritual marriage, with Edward refusing to consummate it for religious reasons. William of Normandy, who had visited England during Godwin's exile, claimed that the childless Edward had promised him the succession to the throne, and his successful bid for the English crown put an end to Harold's nine-month kingship following a 7000-strong Norman invasion. Edward was known as the last English King, but it should be noted that 'English' (or Anglisc) at the time meant descended from the Anglo-Saxons, not native to England. Edward's reign marks a transition between the 10th century West Saxon kingship of England and the Norman monarchy which followed Harold's death. The great earldoms established under Canute grew in power, while Norman influence became a powerful factor in government and in the leadership of the Church. After Edward's death, when he was sanctified, there were two types of saints: martyrs and confessors. Martyrs were people who died in the service of the Lord and confessors were people who died natural deaths. Since Edward died a natural death, he was stylized Edward the Confessor. Note The numbering of English monarchs starts from scratch after the Norman conquest, which explains why Edward the Confessor is not considered Edward I, even though he was the first king called Edward in the history of England. Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Confessor