The Saint Edward the Confessor
King of England
Reign	8 June 1042 (not crowned till 3 April 1043) – 5 January 1066
Predecessor	Harthacanute
Successor	Harold Godwinson
Spouse	Edith of Wessex
Father	Ethelred the Unready
Mother	Emma of Normandy
Born	c. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Harthacanute ( Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute, Hörthaknútr; Danish: Hardeknud) (1018 – 8 June Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the Edith of Wessex, (c 1029 &ndash December 19 1075) married King Edward the Confessor of England in 1045 Ethelred II ( c. 968 – 23 April 1016 also known as Æthelred II, Aethelred II, Ethelred the Unready, Æthelred the Unready Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by 1004 Islip, Oxfordshire, England
Died	January 5, 1066
Burial	Westminster Abbey, Westminster, England

Sainthood
Confessor
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion
Canonized	1161
Major shrine	Westminster Abbey
Commemorated	5 January; 13 October (formerly in Roman Calendar, and locally)
Patronage	kings, difficult marriages, separated spouses, the British Royal Family
Saints Portal

Saint King Edward the Confessor (c. Islip (ˈaɪslɪp is a Village in Oxfordshire, England. It is situated on the western edge of the fens of Otmoor, on the River Ray and River History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In Christianity, veneration ( Latin veneratio, Greek &delta&omicron&upsilon&lambda&iota&alpha dulia) or veneration of saints See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members 1003/1004 – 5 January 1066),^[1] son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England and the last of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 until his death. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Ethelred II ( c. 968 – 23 April 1016 also known as Æthelred II, Aethelred II, Ethelred the Unready, Æthelred the Unready For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during The House of Wessex, also known as the House of Cerdic or the Saxon royal house, refers to the family that ruled a kingdom in southwest England ^[2] His reign marked the continuing disintegration of royal power in England and the aggrandisement of the great territorial earls, and it foreshadowed the country's later connection with Normandy, whose duke William I was to supplant Edward's successors Harold Godwinson and Edgar Ætheling as England's ruler. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc

He succeeded his half-brother Harthacanute, who had successfully regained the throne of England after being dispossessed by his half-brother, Harold Harefoot. Harthacanute ( Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute, Hörthaknútr; Danish: Hardeknud) (1018 – 8 June Harold Harefoot (c 1015&ndash17 March 1040 was King of England from 1035 to 1040 Edward and his brother Alfred the Ætheling, both sons of Emma of Normandy by Ethelred the Unready, had previously failed to depose Harold in 1036. Alfred Aetheling ( Old English Ælfred Æþeling) was one of the eight sons of the English king Ethelred II, called 'The Unready' Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by Ethelred II ( c. 968 – 23 April 1016 also known as Æthelred II, Aethelred II, Ethelred the Unready, Æthelred the Unready When Edward died in 1066 he had no son to take over the throne so a conflict arose as three people claimed the throne of England.

Edward was canonised in 1161 and is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, which regards Edward the Confessor as the patron saint of kings, difficult marriages, and separated spouses, and by the Church of England and other Anglican Churches. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members From the reign of Henry II of England to 1348 he was considered the patron saint of England, and he has remained the patron saint of the Royal Family.

Early years

Edward was born c. 1003 in Islip, Oxfordshire. Islip (ˈaɪslɪp is a Village in Oxfordshire, England. It is situated on the western edge of the fens of Otmoor, on the River Ray and River His palace was in Brill, Buckinghamshire. Brill is a Village and Civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, close to the border with In 1013, he and his brother Alfred were taken to Normandy by their mother Emma of Normandy, sister of Normandy's Duke Richard II, to escape the Danish invasion of England. Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by Duke of Normandy is a Title held or claimed by various Norman, French, English and British rulers from the 10th century until the Richard II (born 23 August 963, in Normandy, France &ndash 28 August 1027, in Normandy called the Good The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Despite his piety, it seems that he was a tough warrior. The Norse Flateyisbok describes him fighting in London against Canute in fierce urban warfare. He is said to have attacked Canute, who was saved by Thorkell the Tall pulling him from his horse. Thorkell the Tall, also known as Thorkell the High in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles ( Old Norse: Þorke(till inn hávi; Norwegian: Torkjell Høge The book relates that Prince Edward broke through the saddle and killed the horse with his axe. Edward is traditionally said to have developed an intense personal piety in his quarter-century of Norman exile (disputed by Howarth in 1066: The Year of the Conquest), during his most formative years, while England formed part of a great Danish empire. His familiarity with Normandy and its leaders would also influence his later rule: the refuge he was given in Normandy, vis a vis the disregard the Normans paid him whilst he was there, would leave him both grateful and bitter towards his kinsmen there. ^[3] It is believed that when Duke Robert, who was his cousin, went on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land (where he died) that Edward was named as one of the guardians of his son William. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages

After an abortive attempt with Alfred in 1036 to displace Harold Harefoot from the throne, Edward returned to Normandy. Harold Harefoot (c 1015&ndash17 March 1040 was King of England from 1035 to 1040 Alfred, however, was captured by Godwin, Earl of Wessex who then turned him over to Harold Harefoot, who blinded him to make him unsuitable for kingship. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c Harold Harefoot (c 1015&ndash17 March 1040 was King of England from 1035 to 1040 Alfred died soon after as a result of his torture. This murder of his brother is thought to be the source of much of his later hatred for the Earl and played a major part in the reason for his banishment in autumn 1051; Edward said that the only way in which Godwin could be forgiven was if he brought back the murdered Alfred, an impossible task. ^[4]

The Anglo-Saxon lay and ecclesiastical nobility invited Edward back to England in 1041; this time he became part of the household of his half-brother Harthacanute (son of Emma and Canute), and according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was sworn in as king alongside him. Harthacanute ( Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute, Hörthaknútr; Danish: Hardeknud) (1018 – 8 June } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. Following Harthacanute's death on 8 June 1042, Edward ascended the throne. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle indicates the popularity he enjoyed at his accession — "before Harthacanute was buried, all the people chose Edward as king in London". Harthacanute ( Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute, Hörthaknútr; Danish: Hardeknud) (1018 – 8 June Edward was crowned at the cathedral of Winchester, the royal seat of the West Saxons on 3 April 1043. Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest Cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.

Reign

A sealed writ of Edward the Confessor

Edward's reign was marked by peace and prosperity, but effective rule in England required coming to terms with three powerful earls: Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who was firmly in control of the thegns of Wessex, which had formerly been the heart of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy; Leofric, Earl of Mercia, whose legitimacy was strengthened by his marriage to Lady Godiva, and in the north, Siward, Earl of Northumbria. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c A thegn or thane was an attendant servant retainer or official in Early Medieval Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon culture. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Leofric (born 968 died 31 August or 30 September 1057) was the Earl of Mercia and founded Monasteries at Coventry and Godiva (or Godgifu) (c 980-1067 was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who according to Legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry Sigurd Björnsson, also known as Siward the Dane (died 1055 was an English nobleman in the eleventh century and the Earl of Northumbria. Edward's sympathies for Norman favourites frustrated Saxon and Danish nobles alike, fuelling the growth of anti-Norman opinion led by Godwin, who had become the king's father-in-law in 1045. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c The breaking point came over the appointment of an archbishop of Canterbury: Edward rejected Godwin's man and appointed the bishop of London, Robert of Jumièges, a trusted Norman. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Robert of Jumièges (sometimes Robert Chambert or Robert Champart) (died 26 May 1052 or 1055 or between 1053 and 1055 was the first Norman Archbishop

Matters came to a head over a bloody riot at Dover between the townsfolk and Edward's kinsman Eustace, count of Boulogne. Eustace II, (c 1015-1020 &ndash 1087 was Count of Boulogne from 1049-1093 fought on the Norman side at the Battle of Hastings, and afterwards received a Godwin refused to punish them, Leofric and Siward backed the King, and Godwin and his family were all exiled in September 1051. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c Leofric (born 968 died 31 August or 30 September 1057) was the Earl of Mercia and founded Monasteries at Coventry and Sigurd Björnsson, also known as Siward the Dane (died 1055 was an English nobleman in the eleventh century and the Earl of Northumbria. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c Queen Edith was sent to a nunnery at Wherwell. Edith of Wessex, (c 1029 &ndash December 19 1075) married King Edward the Confessor of England in 1045 Wherwell is a village in Hampshire, England. The village is located on the River Test. Earl Godwin returned with an army following a year later, however, forcing the king to restore his title and send away his Norman advisors. Godwin died in 1053 and the Norman Ralph the Timid received Herefordshire, but his son Harold accumulated even greater territories for the Godwins, who held all the earldoms save Mercia after 1057. Ralph the Timid (also known as Ralf of Mantes) was the Earl of Hereford from 1052 until his death in 1057 Constitution Herefordshire was reconstituted both as a new Non-metropolitan district (effective 19th July 1996 and as a new County comprising the area of the Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Harold led successful raiding parties into Wales in 1063 and negotiated with his inherited rivals in Northumbria in 1065, and in January 1066, upon Edward's death, he was proclaimed king. Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the

Relations with his Mother

Edward's mother was Emma of Normandy, second wife of his father,Ethelred the Unready. Emma (c 985&ndash March 6, 1052 in Winchester, Hampshire) was daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by Ethelred II ( c. 968 – 23 April 1016 also known as Æthelred II, Aethelred II, Ethelred the Unready, Æthelred the Unready She remarried King Canute and Edward and his brother Alfred, were sent away to Normandy, whilst Canute attempted to assassinate all the sons of Ethelred and his first wife, Aelgifu. } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian Emma's son Hardicanute preceeded Edward who had Alfred killed. . When Edward succeeded, Queen Emma supported another candidate Magnus the Noble and Edward had his mother arrested. Magnus I (1024 - October 25, 1047) was the King of Norway from 1035 to 1047 and the King of Denmark from 1042 to 1047 Later she survived rial by ordeal on a trumped up charge of adultery with a bishop.

Aftermath

King Edward the Confessor in The Little Lives of the Saints, illustrated by Charles Robinson in 1904.

The details of the succession have been widely debated: the Norman position was that William had been designated the heir, and that Harold had been publicly sent to him as emissary from Edward, to apprise him of Edward's decision. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Harold's party asserted that the old king had made a deathbed bestowal of the crown on Harold. However, Harold was approved by the Witenagemot who, under Anglo-Saxon law, held the ultimate authority to convey kingship. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south

Edward had married Godwin's daughter Edith on 23 January 1045, but the union was childless. Edith of Wessex, (c 1029 &ndash December 19 1075) married King Edward the Confessor of England in 1045 Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor The reason for this is the subject of much speculation. Possible explanations include Edward, having taken vow of chastity, considering the union a spiritual marriage, the age difference between Edward and Edith engendering a filial rather than spousal relationship, Edward's antipathy toward Edith's father (Barlow 1997), or infertility. Spiritual marriage comes from the idea of " Love without sex.

Edward's nearest heir would have been his nephew Edward the Exile, who was born in England, but spent most of his life in Hungary. Edward the Exile (1016&ndashFebruary 1057 also called Edward Ætheling, son of King Edmund Ironside and of Ealdgyth gained the name of "Exile" He had returned from exile in 1056 and died not long after, in February the following year. So Edward made his great nephew Edgar Atheling his heir. Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc But Edgar had no secure following among the earls: the resultant succession crisis on Edward's death without a direct "throneworthy" heir — the "foreign" Edgar was a stripling of fourteen — opened the way for Harold's coronation and the invasions of two effective claimants to the throne, the unsuccessful invasion of Harald Hardrada in the north and the successful one of William of Normandy. Harald Sigurdsson (1015 &ndash September 25, 1066) later given the epithet Hardraada ( Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated

William of Normandy, who had visited England during Godwin's exile, claimed that the childless Edward had promised him the succession to the throne, and his successful bid for the English crown put an end to Harold's nine-month kingship following a 7,000-strong Norman invasion. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Edgar Ætheling was elected king by the Witan after Harold's death but was brushed aside by William. Edgar ( the) Ætheling, also known as Edgar the Outlaw (c 1051&ndashc The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in Edward, or more especially the mediæval cult which would later grow up around him under the later Plantagenet kings, had a lasting impact on English history. Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward between 1045 and 1050 on land upstream from the City of London, and was consecrated on 28 December 1065. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Centuries later, Westminster was deemed symbolic enough to become the permanent seat of English government under Henry III. Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 The Abbey contains a shrine to Edward which was the centrepiece to the Abbey's redesign during the mid-thirteenth century. In 2005, Edward's remains were found beneath the pavement in front of the high altar. His remains had been moved twice in the 12th and 13th centuries, and the original tomb has since been found on the central axis of the Abbey in front of the original high altar.

Historically, Edward's reign marked a transition between the 10th century West Saxon kingship of England and the Norman monarchy which followed Harold's death. Edward's allegiances were split between England and his mother's Norman ties. The great earldoms established under Canute grew in power, while Norman influence became a powerful factor in government and in the leadership of the Church. } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian

Edward's funeral, as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry

It was during the reign of Edward that some features of the English monarchy familiar today were introduced. The Bayeux Tapestry (Tapisserie de Bayeux is a 50 cm by 70 m (20 in by 230 ft long embroidered cloth which explains the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of Edward is regarded as responsible for introducing the royal seal and coronation regalia. Also under Edward, a marked change occurred in Anglo-Saxon art, with continental influences becoming more prominent (including the "Winchester Style" which had become known in the 10th century but prominent in the 11th), supplanting Celtic influences prominent in preceding painting, sculpture, calligraphy and jewellery (see Benedictional of St. Æthelwold for an example of the Winchester Style). The Benedictional of St Æthelwold (London British Library, Additional MS 49598 is a 10th century illuminated Benedictional. His crown is believed to have survived until the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell allegedly ordered it to be destroyed. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known Gold from it is understood to have been integrated into the St. Edward's Crown, which has been used in coronations since Charles II of England in 1661. St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels. Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Canonisation

When Henry II came to the throne in 1154, he united in his person at last the English and Norman royal lines. To reinforce this new warrant of authenticity, the cult of King Edward the Confessor was promoted. This article discusses cult in the original and typically ancient sense of "religious practice" (cultus Osbert de Clare was a monk of Westminster, elected Prior in 1136, and remembered for his lives of saints Edmund, Ethelbert and Edburga, in addition to one of Edward, in which the king was represented as a holy man, reported to have performed several miracles and to have healed people by his touch. Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. For the 13th century Archbishop see St Edmund of Abingdon. Edmund the Martyr (841&ndash 20 November 869) was a Æthelberht (also Æthelbert, Aethelberht, Aethelbert, or Ethelbert) (c Saint Eadburh or Edburga (died June 15, 960) was the daughter of King Edward the Elder of England and his third wife Edgiva of Kent Osbert was, as his surviving letters demonstrate, an active ecclesiastical politician, and went to Rome to advocate the cause for Edward to be declared a saint, successfully securing his canonisation by Pope Alexander III in 1161. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159

Image of Edward the Confessor

In 1163, the newly sainted king's remains were enshrined in Westminster Abbey with solemnities presided over by Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church St Thomas Becket (c 1118 &ndash December 29, 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170 The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the On this occasion the honour of preparing a sermon was given to Aelred, the revered Abbot of Rievaulx, to whom is generally attributed the vita in Latin, a hagiography partly based on materials in an earlier vita by Osbert de Clare and which in its turn provided the material for a rhymed version in octasyllabic Anglo-Norman, possibly written by the chronicler Matthew Paris. Ailred (or Aelred) Abbot of Rievaulx ( 1110 - 12 January 1167) was an English Christian Saint Rievaulx (ˈriːvoʊ ree-vohis a small village near Helmsley in North Yorkshire and is located in what was the inner court of Rievaulx Abbey, close to Hagiography ( is the study of Saints. A hagiography, from Greek (hağios (ἅγιος "holy" or "saint" and graphē (γραφή The Anglo-Norman language is a term traditionally used to refer to the variety of French used in England and to some extent elsewhere in the British Isles following the Matthew Paris (c 1200 &ndash 1259 was a Benedictine monk English chronicler, artist in Illuminated manuscripts and Cartographer At the time of Edward's canonisation, saints were broadly categorised as either martyrs or confessors: martyrs were people who had been killed for their faith, while confessors were saints who had died natural deaths. The term martyr ( Greek μάρτυς martys "witness" is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom The title confessor is used in the Christian Church in several ways Edward was accordingly styled Edward the Confessor, partly to distinguish him from his canonised predecessor Edward the Martyr. Edward the Martyr or Eadweard II (c 962&ndash 18 March 978) was King of England from 975 until he was murdered in 978

The Roman Catholic Church regards Edward the Confessor as the patron saint of kings, difficult marriages and separated spouses. After the reign of Henry II, Edward was considered the patron saint of England until 1348 when he was replaced in this role by St. George. In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox He remained the patron saint of the Royal Family.

Edward's reign is memorialized in an eight panel stained glass window within St Laurence Church, Ludlow, England. For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art St Laurence Church Ludlow was established as a Norman place of worship in association with the founding of Ludlow in the 11th century AD

The shrine of Saint Edward the Confessor remains where it was after the final translation of his body in the 13th century - at the heart of Westminster Abbey, where the date of that translation, 13 October, is observed as a major feast. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees

13 October was the date assigned to his liturgical commemoration when it was introduced in 1679 into the Roman Catholic calendar of saints. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions For earlier forms of the General Roman Calendar see the Tridentine Calendar, the General Roman Calendar as in 1954, General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius Because of his limited importance on a worldwide scale, it was omitted from this in 1969. ^[5] Since then, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates his feast day on 5 January, the day of his death. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. ^[6]

Edward the Confessor is referenced by characters in Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Macbeth as the saintly king of England. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between

Ancestry

See also

• House of Wessex family tree. The following chart is a Family tree of the Kings of the House of Wessex, a Dynasty whose members were Kings of Wessex, and then from Athelstan

Notes

References

• Barlow, Frank (1997). Frank Barlow (born 1911 is a British historian known particularly for biographies of medieval figures Edward the Confessor.  

External links

• Steven Muhlberger's 'Edward the Confessor and his earls'
• Illustrated biography of Edward the Confessor
• BBC History: Edward the Confessor
• The Rise of Godwine, Earl of Wessex
• Edward the Confessor At Find A Grave

Further reading

• Aelred of Rievaulx, Life of St. Ailred (or Aelred) Abbot of Rievaulx ( 1110 - 12 January 1167) was an English Christian Saint Edward the Confessor, translated Fr. Jerome Bertram (first English translation) St. Austin Press ISBN 1-901157-75-X
• O'Brien, Bruce R. : God's peace and king's peace : the laws of Edward the Confessor, Philadelphia, Pa.  : University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8122-3461-8