Gytha Thorkelsdóttir

Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, also known as Githa, was a Danish noblewoman born around 997 and died around 1069. She was the wife of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and the mother of several children, including King Harold Godwinson of England and Edith of Wessex, queen consort of King Edward the Confessor. Gytha was the daughter of Thorgil Sprakling, a Danish chieftain, and the sister of Earl Ulf Thorgilsson.

Her life was marked by significant events, including the marital alliance with the Anglo-Saxon nobleman Godwin and the birth of her children, who played crucial roles in the history of England. The Battle of Stamford Bridge saw her sons Harold and Tostig in opposition, with Tostig’s death resulting from the conflict. Shortly after, the Battle of Hastings claimed the lives of her sons Harold, Gyrth, and Leofwine. She unsuccessfully pleaded with William the Conqueror for the return of her son Harold’s body. Following the Norman conquest, she left England, and her later years are shrouded in obscurity, though she likely went to Scandinavia. Her youngest son Wulfnoth spent his life in captivity, and her eldest daughter, Queen Edith, retained some status as Edward the Confessor’s widow.