Tostig Godwinson

Tostig Godwinson was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and the brother of King Harold Godwinson. His governance faced difficulties and unpopularity, leading to his eventual exile by his brother. Tostig then supported the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada’s invasion of England but was killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

Tostig was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha Thorkelsdóttir. He married Judith of Flanders and held twenty-six vills recorded in the Domesday Book. His tenure as Earl was marked by strained relations with local Northumbrian elites and his own heavy-handed rule, which included the assassination of notable Northumbrians. His deposition and exile led to his alliance with Harald Hardrada and his eventual death in battle.