Part 12: Canute's Family

Beseechment And Betrayal

From that 1035 to well 1037, Harold Harefoot ruled as regent while King Harthacnut was stayed abroad in Denmark, putting down a vile rebellion of Norwegian heathens there. The pagans of the Norselands had unseated venerable, plain Ælfgifu and had driven she and Swein away to Copenhagen then.

Now Harefoot had no love for Emma, who was not his blood nor kin. So Emma fled to Flanders, in between her Harthacnut in Denmark and her family in exile at the court in Normandy. She wrote a letter begging Harthacnut to take the throne again, that rightly his, but he were then reluctant to depart from Danish lands, for had he then a rival: Magnus, who though he hailed from Norway, was a pet of some the mercantiles in Denmark, and would gladly cede the power of the throne to them, if ever he would get the thing.

This letter falling in its task, then Emma wrote again: to Edmund and the younger man. She begged of them in turn to seek the Anglish throne.  And so they did, these young and heady men; the younger of the two not yet reached up to fifteen years.

Earl Godwin, who supported Harthacnut, met up their ship upon it’s sighting. His men beset upon the princes, taking captive Ælfred and then blinding him! Godwin then delivered Ælfred unto Harold Harefoot in Westminster, where the lad was murdered. Edmund fled to Normandy. Whether Godwin were in Harefoot’s hand while taking up this loathesome dree, or whether he were of his own foul innard mien, we do not know.  Godwin had so changed allegiances from Harthanut, the absent king, to Harefoot, there in Anglish sway’n. But howsoever this turn came about, be it bare-nebbed swotel[1] that our Norman Edward now demanded satisfaction at Earl Godwin’s throught!

Harefoot’s reign was good and blessed with goodness all about the realm, but sadly short. He fell into sickened fugue the fall of ’39, and so the nobles of the realm sent emissary off to Harthacnut to bid him come take the throne, in decretum[2] whascht they shone. Harefoot died the seventeenth of March the year succeeding, ere in 10 and 40.

Emma, England’s Mum

This did vex his mother, Emma, eft in Bruges, upverily, and she did correspond with Harthacnut to scheme to then take Harefoot out! Harthacnut was horrified his dear heart brother-half, his Harefoot, had their brother killed. But also did he know the nobles of the Anglish did disfavor him, for they so favored Harefoot and his rule, and so he took no chances of an expedition crule.

In ten and forty, Harold Harefoot died. Harthacnut arrived on English shores, but came as conqueror and not as slaughter-offering. Landed he with Emma Mum at Sandwich, seven days before Midsummer’s tongue. Marched then he his army rightthrough Canterbury, on his way to London go. T’Westminster, straight he went, and had he Harefoot’s body disinterred, and then did publicly behead! Then did Emma and her son dispose of him into a sewer drain.

His body floated out into the River Thames, and was recovered by a shipping main right then. These men were loyal and belovèd of their monarch, Harold Harefoot. Had these men his body buried in a churchyard once again at their expense. His body lies there still, but headless, for no man dost know whereat his head had went.

Then did Harthacnut return to Canterbury for his coronation that same month. Queen Mother Emma was then in attendance there before the third king in her ken-tree. They were vindicated. But their vengeance was not yet then sated.

Emma charged the Wessex Earl named Godwin with the kidnapping and transfer of her Ælfred. He stood trial up before the council of the Witan, and the judge was Harthacnut. Godwin brought forth witnesses to shew he was duressed and had no choice but then to act upon the order of the King. In any case, he paid to Harthacnut the wergild of a mighty sailing ship, and was allowed to live. Also, Emma charged the Bishop Lyfing, sat at Worcester, of dissembling. She stripped him of his see, but when he made amends, he  was restored in ’41 again.

Harthacnut, with aid from mother Emma, swiftly drew unto himself the reins of mootcraft and of war above this pretty island hæme. And also did Queen Emma bring another son, her Edward, to partake in rulership alongside Harthacnut.  Some may say that Emma had a hand in ellencraft, above this Edward and above this Harthacnut. However was it there within the Thorny Isle[3] of Westminster, this dual kingship lived and died like Mayflies do: Harthacnut passed on in Autumntime of ’42. Anon, another rift dynastic would then it emerge.

Edward now had not an Anglo-Saxon ally to abey ambitions of those men who sought his head and crown which on it lay. He turned to that most powerful of men; the man upon whose shoulders rested, vested great authority; the man who led this island’s military; the man who Edward had besworn he’d take revenge upon: Godwin of the House of Mercia, Earl of Wessex born! Edward promised Godwin safe and weal and friendship and a part of rulership as well. Godwin gave the king his daughter, Edith, as his wife to be. Mercia so established as a claimant to the throne in future years, Edward made up Godwin two of Godwin’s sons into new Earls: Sweyn and Harold Godwinson. Now Godwin had a half of pretty England dear, and Edward kept the other half to near. These two men would be as co-kings, just as Edward and his brother Harthacnut had been.

Now as power had consolidated in his hand, Emma’s son, this Edward the Confessor, was crowned in that year of 1042.

With the combination of the Norman Edward’s army from the Continent, and Godwin’s greater force of Knights of Anglo-Saxon bent, no Scots or Welsh upon the marches threatened much the inland Anglish men, and people in the country paused and well rejoiced again.

Edward was a peaceful, pious man of letters; had he even the great love for brotherhood that he forgave this Godwin for the murder of his blood. Godwin, though, was tempered like a stove-iron, hard and hot, and wore his passion on his blazoned breast. This partnership, for Anglestead, seemed to all for the best. And so it was ‘til Michaelmas in ’65.

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[1] Obvious and plain

[2] By their decree.

[3] In the 11^th century, Westminster sat upon an island in the Thames which has subsequently silted up to the mainland.