Biography of Godgifu aka Lady Godiva -1086

Before 1043 Leofric Earldorman Mercia and Godgifu aka Lady Godiva were married. He the son of Leofwine Mercia.

In 1043 Coventry Priory [Map] was founded by [her husband] Leofric Earldorman Mercia and Godgifu aka Lady Godiva. It was consecrated on 4th October 1043 by Archbishop Eadsige. Among the witnesses to this foundation charter were Edward the Confessor (age 40), the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishops of Worcester and Lichfield, the abbots of Winchcombe and Pershore, and the earls Godwin (age 42), [her grandson-in-law] Harold (age 21), Siward (age 33), and Ordgar.

Before 31st August 1057 [her husband] Leofric Earldorman Mercia was created Earldorman Mercia. Godgifu aka Lady Godiva by marriage Earldorman Mercia.

Flowers of History by Roger of Wendover 1057. Before 31st August 1057. The countess Godiva, who was a great lover of God's mother, longing to free the town of Coventry from the oppression of a heavy toll, often with urgent prayers besought her [her husband] husband, that from regard to Jesus Christ and his mother, he would free the town from that service, and from all other heavy burdens; and when the earl sharply rebuked her for foolishly asking what was so much to his damage, and always forbade her ever more to speak to him on the subject; and while she, on the other hand, with a woman's pertinacity, never ceased to exasperate her husband on that matter, he at last made her this answer, "Mount your horse, and ride naked, before all the people, through the market of the town, from one end to the other, and on your return you shall have your request." On which Godiva replied, "But will you give me permission, if I am willing to do it? "I will," said he. Whereupon the countess, beloved of God, loosed her hair and let down her tresses, which covered the whole of her body like a veil, and then mounting her horse and attended by two knights, she rode through the market-place, without being seen, except her fair legs; and having completed the journey, she returned with gladness to her astonished husband, and obtained of him what she had asked; for earl Leofric freed the town of Coventry and its inhabitants from the aforesaid service, and confirmed what he had done by a charter. The said earl also, at the instigation of his countess, munificently enriched with lands, buildings, and various ornaments the churches of Worcester, St. Mary of Stone, and St. Wereburg, with the monasteries of Evesham, Wenloc, and Lenton.

Chronicon ex Chronicis. 31st August 1057. The renowned [her husband] Leofric, son of the ealdorman Leofwine, of blessed memory, died in a good old age, at his own vill of Bromley, on the second of the calends of September [31st August], and was buried with great pomp at Coventry [Map]; which monastery, among the other good deeds of his life, he and his wife, the noble countess Godiva, a worshipper of God, and devoted friend of St. Mary, Ever-a-Virgin, had founded, and amply endowing it with lands on their own patrimony, had so enriched with all kinds of ornament, that no monastery could be found in England possessed of such abundance of gold, silver, jewels, and precious stones as it contained at that time. They also enriched, with valuable ornaments, the monasteries of Leominster and Wenlock, and those at Chester dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. Werburgh, the virgin, and the church which Eadnoth, bishop of Lincoln, had built on a remarkable spot, called in English St. Mary's Stow [Map]⁷³, which means in Latin St. Mary's place. They also gave lands to the monastery at Worcester, and added to the buildings, ornaments, and endowments of Evesham abbey. During his whole life, this earl's sagacity was of the utmost advantage to the kings and the whole commonwealth of England. His son [her son] Algar was appointed to his earldom.

Note 73. Henry of Huntingdon describes it as "under the hill at Lincoln;" but Bishop Farmer says that "Stowe was in the bishop's manor by Trent side." The priory of Stowe, or Mary-Stowe, was annexed to Eynsham abbey, in Oxfordshire.

Flowers of History by Roger of Wendover 1057. 31st August 1057. On the thirty-first of August in the same year died [her husband] Leofric earl of Chester, a man of praise-worthy life; he was buried in the monastery which he had founded at Coventry. Having founded this monastery by the advice of his wife the noble countess Godiva, he, at the prayer of a religious woman, placed monks therein, and so enriched them with lands, woods, and ornaments, that there was not found in all England a monastery with such an abundance of gold and silver, gems and costly garments.

Around 31st August 1057 [her husband] Leofric Earldorman Mercia died at Kings Bromley, Staffordshire [Map]. His son [her son] Ælfgar succeeded Earldorman Mercia.

Around 1060 [her son] Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia died.

After 1086 Godgifu aka Lady Godiva died; the date based on her being included the Domesday Book.

1890. Jules Joseph Lefebvre (age 53). "Lady Godiva".

1892. Edmund Blair Leighton (age 39). "Lady Godiva".

In or before 1898. John Collier (age 47). "Lady Godiva".

[her son] Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia was born to Leofric Earldorman Mercia and Godgifu aka Lady Godiva.

Charter S1478 Agreement between Wulfwig, Leofric and Godgifu. Agreement between Bishop Wulfwig, and Earl Leofric and Godgifu, his wife, concerning the endowment of a monastery at Stowe St Mary, Lincs [Map].