Editing Edward the Confessor (section)

==Early years and exile==
Edward was the seventh son of [[Æthelred the Unready]], and the first by his second wife, [[Emma of Normandy]]. Edward was born between 1003 and 1005 in [[Islip, Oxfordshire]],{{sfn|Barlow|2006}} and is first recorded as a 'witness' to two charters in 1005. He had one full brother, [[Alfred Aetheling|Alfred]], and a sister, [[Godgifu, daughter of Æthelred the Unready|Godgifu]]. In charters he was always listed behind his older half-brothers, showing that he ranked beneath them.{{sfn|Keynes|2009|p=49}}

During his childhood, England was the target of [[Vikings|Viking]] raids and invasions under [[Sweyn Forkbeard]] and his son, [[Cnut]]. Following Sweyn's seizure of the throne in 1013, Emma fled to [[Normandy]], followed by Edward and Alfred, and then by Æthelred. Sweyn died in February 1014, and leading Englishmen invited Æthelred back on the condition that he promised to rule 'more justly' than before. Æthelred agreed, sending Edward back with his ambassadors.{{sfn|Rex|2008|pp=13, 19}} Æthelred died in April 1016, and he was succeeded by Edward's older half-brother [[Edmund Ironside]], who carried on the fight against Sweyn's son, Cnut. According to Scandinavian tradition, Edward fought alongside Edmund; as Edward was at most thirteen years old at the time, the story is disputed.{{sfn|Barlow|1970|p=[https://archive.org/details/edwardconfessor00barl/page/29 29–36]}}{{sfn|Keynes|2009|p=56}} Edmund died in November 1016, and Cnut became undisputed king. Edward then again went into exile with his brother and sister; in 1017 his mother married Cnut.{{sfn|Barlow|2006}} In the same year, Cnut had Edward's last surviving elder half-brother, [[Eadwig Ætheling|Eadwig]], executed.{{sfn|Panton|2011|p=21}}

Edward spent a quarter of a century in exile, probably mainly in Normandy, although there is no evidence of his location until the early 1030s. He probably received support from his sister Godgifu, who married [[Drogo of Mantes]], count of [[Vexin]] in about 1024. In the early 1030s, Edward witnessed four charters in Normandy, signing two of them as king of England. According to [[William of Jumièges]], the Norman chronicler, [[Robert I, Duke of Normandy]] attempted an invasion of England to place Edward on the throne in about 1034 but it was blown off course to [[Jersey]]. He also received support for his claim to the throne from several continental abbots, particularly [[Robert of Jumièges|Robert]], abbot of the [[Jumièges Abbey|Norman abbey of Jumièges]], who later became Edward's Archbishop of Canterbury.{{sfn|van Houts|2009|pp= 63–75}} Edward was said to have developed an intense personal piety during this period, but modern historians regard this as a product of the later medieval campaign for his canonisation. In Frank Barlow's view "in his lifestyle would seem to have been that of a typical member of the rustic nobility".{{sfn|Barlow|2006}}{{sfn|Howarth|1981|p=}} He appeared to have a slim prospect of acceding to the English throne during this period, and his ambitious mother was more interested in supporting Harthacnut, her son by Cnut.{{sfn|Barlow|2006}}{{sfn|Rex|2008|p=28}}

Cnut died in 1035, and Harthacnut succeeded him as king of [[Denmark]]. It is unclear whether he intended to keep England as well, but he was defending his position in Denmark and thus was unable to come to England to assert his claim to the throne. It was therefore decided that his elder half-brother [[Harold Harefoot]] should act as regent, while Emma held Wessex on Harthacnut's behalf.{{sfn|Lawson|2004}} In 1036, Edward and his brother Alfred separately came to England. Emma later claimed that they came in response to a letter forged by Harold inviting them to visit her, but historians believe that she probably did invite them in an effort to counter Harold's growing popularity.{{sfn|Barlow|2006}}{{sfn|Rex|2008|pp=34–35}} Alfred was captured by [[Godwin, Earl of Wessex]], who turned him over to Harold Harefoot. He had Alfred blinded by forcing red-hot pokers into his eyes to make him unsuitable for kingship, and Alfred died soon after as a result of his wounds. The murder is thought to be the source of much of Edward's hatred for Godwin and one of the primary reasons for Godwin's banishment in autumn 1051.{{sfn|Howarth|1981|p=}} Edward is said to have fought a successful skirmish near [[Southampton]], and then retreated back to Normandy.{{sfn|Barlow|1970|pp=[https://archive.org/details/edwardconfessor00barl/page/44 44–45] }}{{efn|[[Pauline Stafford]] believes that Edward joined his mother at Winchester and returned to the continent after his brother's death.{{sfn|Stafford|2001|pp=239–240}} }} He thus showed his prudence, but he had some reputation as a soldier in Normandy and Scandinavia.{{sfn|Rex|2008|p=33}}

In 1037, Harold was accepted as king, and the following year he expelled Emma, who retreated to [[Bruges]]. She then summoned Edward and demanded his help for Harthacnut, but he refused as he had no resources to launch an invasion, and disclaimed any interest for himself in the throne.{{sfn|Barlow|2006}}{{sfn|Rex|2008|p=33}} Harthacnut, his position in Denmark now secure, planned an invasion, but Harold died in 1040, and Harthacnut was able to cross unopposed, with his mother, to take the English throne.{{sfn|Howard|2008|p=117}}

In 1041, Harthacnut invited Edward back to England, probably as his heir because he knew he had not long to live.{{sfn|Lawson|2004}} The 12th-century ''[[Quadripartitus]]'' states that he was recalled by the intervention of Bishop [[Ælfwine of Winchester]] and Earl Godwin. Edward met "the [[thegn]]s of all England" at Hursteshever, likely near modern-day [[Hurst Spit]] opposite the [[Isle of Wight]]. There, Edward was received as king in return for his oath that he would continue the laws of Cnut.{{sfn|Maddicott|2004| pp= 650–666}} According to the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'', Edward was sworn in as king alongside Harthacnut, but a diploma issued by Harthacnut in 1042 describes him as the king's brother.{{sfn|Mortimer|2009|p=7}}{{sfn|Baxter|2009|p=101}}