Editing Godwin, Earl of Wessex (section)

==Reigns of Cnut's sons==
Cnut died in 1035 and England was disputed between [[Harold Harefoot]], Cnut's son with [[Ælfgifu of Northampton]], and [[Harthacnut]], his son by [[Emma of Normandy]]. Godwin supported Harthacnut, crowned king of Denmark, and as the latter was beset with a Norwegian invasion of Denmark, it was agreed that Harold should act as English regent for these two half-brothers. In 1036 [[Alfred Ætheling]], younger son of [[Emma of Normandy]] and Æthelred the Unready, attempted an invasion of England, but he was intercepted by Godwin, who handed him to Harold Harefoot. Alfred was blinded and died soon afterwards. Godwin's responsibility for the crime was disputed, but whatever the truth it left a stain which affected his future. In 1037, with Harthacnut still in war-stricken Denmark, Harold was recognised as king, almost certainly with Godwin's support.<ref name=DNB/>

In 1040, Harold Harefoot died and Godwin backed the successful accession of Harthacnut to the throne of England. Following Harthacnut's death in 1042 Godwin supported the claim of Æthelred's last surviving son [[Edward the Confessor]] to the throne. Edward, who was crowned the following year, had spent most of the previous thirty years in [[Normandy]]. His reign restored to the throne of England the "native" royal house of Wessex, a branch now in blood intertwined with the Danish-Norman dynasty of [[Emma of Normandy]].<ref name=ONDBed>{{cite ODNB| last = Barlow | first = Frank | title= Edward (St Edward; known as Edward the Confessor) | | id=8516 | date = 25 May 2006|author-link=Frank Barlow (historian)}}</ref>