Edyth Swannesha

Edyth discovers Harald's body, from François Guizot : Histoire de France

Edyth Swannesha ( Old English "Ealdgȳð Swann hnesce, Edyth [the] gentle swan") (* around 1025 ; † after 1066 ) was the life companion of King Harold Godwinson (around 1022-1066) for more than 20 years, especially in the period before his accession to the throne. She is also known as Edyth Swanneschals or Edyth Swanneck , i.e. Edith Schwanenhals, which is a mistranslation of her name. She is often confused with Ealdgyth of Mercia , who Harald married around 1066.

Edyth is the mother of most of Harald's known children. Although she was not his wife in the eyes of the Church, there is no evidence that these children were considered illegitimate. In fact, one of Harald's and Edith's daughters, Gyda Haraldsdatter (or Gytha von Wessex), was addressed as a “princess” and married to Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh , Grand Duke of Kiev .

Edith Swannesha is best known in history and folklore as the one who identified the dead Harald after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, facilitating the recovery of the body from the battlefield and a Christian burial by the monks of Waltham Abbey in Essex.

In Germany, the legend became known through Heinrich Heine , who in his poem " Battlefield near Hastings " ( Romanzero , First Book, Histories) with "Edith Schwanenhals" as the main character put the story in rhymes.

progeny

Godwin (* 1049)
Edmund (* 1049)
Magnus (* 1051)
Gunhild (* 1055, † 1097), nun in Wilton (Wiltshire)
Gytha ∞ around 1070 Vladimir Wsewolodowitsch Monomakh , 1113–1125 Grand Duke of Kiev

Individual evidence

^ Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 30

literature

A History of Britain : At the Edge of the World, 3500 - 1603 AD by Simon Schama , BBC / Miramax, 2000 ISBN 0-7868-6675-6
Great Tales from English History: The Truth About King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Richard the Lionheart, and More by Robert Lacey, 2004 ISBN 0-316-10910-X
House of Godwine: The History of Dynasty by Emma Mason, 2004 ISBN 1-85285-389-1

Web links

Commons : Edyth Swannesha - collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Edyth Swannesha
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Edith Swanneck; Swannesha, Ealdgyth
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Life companion of King Harald II.
DATE OF BIRTH	around 1025
DATE OF DEATH	after 1066

[1] Powicke & Fryde: Handbook of British Chronology. Second Edition, London, 1961, p. 30