Editing Harold Godwinson (section)

== Marriages and children ==
[[File:Harold Godwinson 02.jpg|thumb|13th century version of Harold's crowning, from an anonymous ''Life of King Edward the Confessor'' in [[Cambridge University Library]].]]

Harold was married{{Efn|The pagan English had been [[polygynous]]. When the English were evangelised, although by church law concubinage would not have been legally ratified, it was largely acknowledged by custom. Edith's marriage was described as ''[[more danico]]'' (in the Danish fashion) which means unblessed by the church.{{Sfn|Barlow|2013|page=78}}{{Sfn|Ross|1985|pages=3–34}}}} to Edith the Fair{{Efn|name=swan}} for approximately twenty years and had at least five children with her.{{Sfn|Barlow|2013|page=78}}

According to [[Orderic Vitalis]], Harold was at some time [[betrothed]] to [[Adeliza]], a daughter of William the Conqueror; if so, the betrothal never led to marriage.{{Sfn|Round|1885}}

In about January 1066, Harold married [[Ealdgyth, daughter of Earl Ælfgar]], and widow of the Welsh prince [[Gruffydd ap Llywelyn]]. After her husband's death, at the Battle of Hastings, the pregnant Ealdgyth had been collected, from London, by her brothers, the Northern earls, [[Edwin, Earl of Mercia|Edwin of Mercia]] and [[Morcar|Morcar of Northumbria]], and taken to Chester for safety. It is not known what happened to her thereafter.{{Sfn|Maund|2004}}

Some historians have suggested that Harold and Ealdgyth's union was childless,{{Sfn|Maund|2004}} others ascribe two children to Ealdgyth, named [[Harold, son of Harold Godwinson|Harold]] and [[Ulf, son of Harold Godwinson|Wulf/Ulf]].{{Sfn|Barlow|2013|p=128}} Because of the chronology it is likely that the boys would have been twins and born after the demise of their father. Another possibility is that Ulf was the son of Edith the Fair.{{Sfn|Barlow|2013|p=128}}

There is a tradition that Edith the Fair took the broken body of her husband Harold Godwinson to the Church at [[Waltham Holy Cross]] to be buried. What happened to her after 1066, is not known. Also, after their defeat at the Battle of Northam the fate of the sons is unclear although some later sources suggest they took refuge at the Danish court with their grandmother, aunt and sister.{{Sfn|Fleming|2010}}{{Sfn|Barlow|2013|pages=168–170}}{{Sfn|Arnold|2014|pages=34–56}}{{Chart top|Family of Harold Godwinson}}
{{Chart/start|align=center}}
{{Chart|border=0| | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|.| | | |,|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Chart|border=0| | | | | | GOD |v| GYT | | | ULF |-| EST | | CNU | GOD=[[Godwin of Wessex|Godwin<br/>of Wessex]]|GYT=[[Gytha Thorkelsdóttir|Gytha<br/>Thorkelsdóttir]]|ULF=[[Ulf the Earl|Earl Ulf]]|EST=[[Estrid Svendsdatter|Estrid]]|CNU=[[Cnut the Great|Cnut<br/>the Great]]}}
{{Chart|border=0| |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|v|-|-|v|-|-|v|-|-|.| | | |}}
{{Chart|border=0| SWE | ED1 |v| HAR |v| EAL |-| GRU | TOS | GYR | LEO | WUL | ED2 |-| EDW | SWE=[[Sweyn Godwinson|Sweyn]]|ED1=[[Edith the Fair]]|HAR='''Harold<br/>Godwinson'''|EAL=[[Ealdgyth, daughter of Earl Ælfgar|Ealdgyth<br/>of Mercia]]|GRU=[[Gruffydd ap Llywelyn|Gruffydd<br/>ap Llywelyn]]|TOS=[[Tostig Godwinson|Tostig]]|GYR=[[Gyrth Godwinson|Gyrth]]|LEO=[[Leofwine Godwinson|Leofwine]]|WUL=[[Wulfnoth Godwinson|Wulfnoth]]|ED2=[[Edith of Wessex|Edith]]|EDW=[[Edward the Confessor|Edward<br/> the Confessor]]}}
{{Chart|border=0| | | | | | |!| | | |`|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Chart|border=0| |,|-|-|v|-|^|v|-|-|v|-|-|v|-|-|.| | | |!||}}
{{Chart|border=0| GOD | EDM | MAG | GYT | GUN | ULF | | HAR | GOD=[[Godwin, son of Harold Godwinson|Godwin]]|EDM=[[Edmund, son of Harold Godwinson|Edmund]]|MAG=[[Magnus, son of Harold Godwinson|Magnus]]|GUN=[[Gunhild of Wessex|Gunhild]]|GYT = [[Gytha of Wessex|Gytha]]|HAR=[[Harold, son of Harold Godwinson|Harold]]|ULF = [[Ulf, son of Harold Godwinson|Ulf]]}}
{{Chart/end}}
{{Chart bottom}}