Edward the Confessor c.1003-1066
King of England and saint

Born at Islip, Oxfordshire, he was the elder son of Ethelred II, the Unready, by his wife Emma, and half-brother of Edmund II, Ironside. In 1016 the English throne passed to Knut Sveinsson (Canute), who married Ethelred's widow, and had a son by her, Hardaknut Knutsson. Edward meanwhile went to Normandy (1016-41) and became very religious, taking a vow of chastity. Hardaknut recalled him to England (1041) and Earl Godwin of Wessex helped him to the throne (1042). In 1045 he married Godwin's only daughter, Edith. His reign was marked by the conflict between the Norman party at court and the 'National' party led by Godwin and his son, Harold Godwinsson, later Harold II. Although his legitimate heir was Edgar the �theling (the grandson of Edmund Ironside), on his deathbed he allegedly nominated Harold Godwinsson as his successor. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, which he founded shortly before his death, and became the subject of a cult which saw him canonized in 1161.

Bibliography: Frank Barlow, Edward the Confessor (1970)