Earl Godwin's children...

According to the different sources, there were between 9 and 12 issue of Earl Godwin and his second wife, the Danish noblewoman Gytha (niece of Canute?), whom he married in c.1020, a year after Thyra (Canute's sister) died.

Godwin honoured his lord and benefactor, Canute (and once brother-inlaw) by naming his first son Swein after Canute's father, Harold after Gytha's Great grandfather and Wulfnoth after his own father, Wulfnoth Cild.

The list from eldest to youngest generally accepted, is;-

Edith (Edward the Confessor's wife),
Swein (the wild card of the pack, d.1052);
then of course Harold, Tostig, Gyrth, Leofwine and several sisters to Wulfnoth (Harold's youngest brother held in Norman captivity most of his adult life from 1052).

Some add an eldest sibling, Driella (though I've never read about her?) and a brother younger than Wulfnoth, called Ylfgar?

Has anyone read any convincing sources which give an accurate-sounding genealogy of Harold II's siblings?

I have some information at home which might shed some light (@ work at the moment) - so I will post again later tonight.

Though I too have not heard of the elder sibling, Driella.

Could she have been a "foster-daughter" - as fosterage was common amongst Saxon, Anglo-Saxon, Celtic and Scandinavian cultures. Which again might explain the number of children in the Godwin household.

Could she have been a "foster-daughter"

Possible, I'd never heard of "Driella of Wessex" either, which is surprising given the amount of this era's sources I've read in the past, but this link (and others) states that she was indeed the daughter of earl Godwin and Gytha.

Driella of Wessex

"Driella's father was Earl Godwin of Wessex & Kent and her mother was Gytha Sprakaleg.
Her paternal grandparents were Wulfnoth Cyld of Sussex and ; her maternal grandparents were Thorkils Styrbjornsson and Sigrid.
She had seven brothers and five sisters, named Sveyn, Harold, Tostig, Gyrth, Leofwine, Wulfnoth, Alfgar, Edith, Gunhilda, Elgiva, Edgiva and [unknown]"

I have the following (in no particular order) as the offspring of Godwin:
Edith m. Edward III "Confessor"
Harold II
Swein / Sweyn
Tostig m. Judith
Gyrth
Leofwin
Gunhild
Aelfgifu
Wulfnoth

Also listed are: Alfgar and Edgiva

Though I see the source listed (Under general Notes) is Brian Thompsett's database - which is curious.

I've had another look and it seems that this Driella (bc.1019) was married to Donnchad Ua Briain of Munster (d.1064) as his second wife - his first dying in 1052.

Donnchad was the son of Brian Boru, and was himself King of Munster (crowned 1053).

With this information to hand, it shed light on a rather interesting marriage alliance on the part of Godwin. However, at this point in time, both men were in need of powerful allies.

Bears much further investigation.

Thanks Mel

Clearly this was an alliance made (politically?) whilst some of the Godwinson clan made exile in Ireland (others made for the other safe-haven of Flanders, Godwin himself included) after fleeing England in 1051, after the showdown caused by Eustace's deliberately-provocative ravaging of Dover -within Godwin's earldom?

The same Irish king (?)was supposed to have taken in Harold's sons after 1066, yet I have read little or nothing regarding other Godwinson siblings, such as those in the OP?

Melisende:

That is interesting. And it's known that Harold and his brothers headed for Ireland when they were exiled for a time, by Edward "the Confessor". I think there is also mention of some of Harold's sons with Edith "Swan Neck" ended up in Ireland, at least for a time.
Anne G

Melisende wrote:I've had another look and it seems that this Driella (bc.1019) was married to Donnchad Ua Briain of Munster (d.1064) as his second wife - his first dying in 1052.

Donnchad was the son of Brian Boru, and was himself King of Munster (crowned 1053).

With this information to hand, it shed light on a rather interesting marriage alliance on the part of Godwin. However, at this point in time, both men were in need of powerful allies.

Bears much further investigation.

Different King - Donnachad was deposed in 1063 and died 1064 - his nephew was King at that time.

But the timing was interesting - with Harold in exile in Ireland - the timing for such a political alliance could not have been better timed. Wonder if Donnchad's first wife died of "natural causes" ???

Yet neither Paul Hill (The Politics of Power in A/S England) and Andrew Bridgeford (Hidden meanings of the Bayeux Tapestry) even mention "Driella" or "Ylfgar" in their genealogies by name?

Huscarl:

To be absolutely fair and honest, I never heard of these children either.
Anne G

Huscarl wrote:Yet neither Paul Hill (The Politics of Power in A/S England) and Andrew Bridgeford (Hidden meanings of the Bayeux Tapestry) even mention "Driella" or "Ylfgar" in their genealogies by name?

Ylfgar = Alfgar ????

And most of the Irish Chronicles don't actually mention Driella by name when referring to Donnchad's marriages.