Sweyn Godwinson

Sweyn Godwinson (Old English: Swegen Gōdwines sunu; * 1020, † 1052 ) was the eldest son of Earl Godwin of Wessex, and brother of King Harold II.

1043 Sweyn was a county ( Earldom ), which consisted of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Somerset. He signed his first record of 1044.

Sweyn ended with Gruffydd ap Llywelyn the Welsh princes of Gwynedd an alliance and supported him in 1046 during his successful attempt to subdue his main rival Gruffaydd ap Rhydderch of Deheubarth. On the way back from Wales, he abducted the abbess of Leominster Aedgifu in the obvious intention to marry her and take control of a large estate of the abbey. Then the king defied the, Aedgifu returned to the monastery. Sweyn himself fled in 1047 out of the country and sought refuge with the count of Flanders. From Flanders he went to Denmark, but returned in 1049 to England ( it seems that he was forced to flee also from Denmark), with his brother Harald and his cousin Beorn is presented initially opposed his return. Beorn could be swayed and accompanied Sweyn as king, but was murdered by Sweyn, which meant Sweyn following a conviction as niðing than dishonorable man, renewed exile. In fact, Sweyn seems to have been pardoned because he was reinstated in his offices in the following year. Another year later, in 1051, had the entire family, Godwin and his sons to leave after a dispute with the king England. Sweyn was killed on his way back from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1052 ( the sources are contradictory on this ).

Sweyn had a son, Hakon, who was brought back to England in 1064 by Harald and about which there is not more known.