Leofric of Mercia Ealdorman of Mercia

  General Notes:

LEOFRIC , son of LEOFWINE Ealdorman [of the Hwicce] in Mercia & his wife ---(-Bromley 30 Oct 1057, bur Coventry). The Genealogia Fundatoris of Coventry Monastery names "Leofricum postea comitem, et Edwinum occisum per Walenses, et Normannum occisum cum Edrico duce Merciorum per Cnutonem regem" as sons of "Leofwinus comes Leicestriæ". This "comitis Radulfi…Scalre" has not otherwise been identified nor any possible relationship with Leofric. Simeon of Durham records that King Canute appointed "Leofric" as Ealdorman [Earl]of Mercia after his brother Northman was killed in 1017, although this was apparently during the lifetime of their father. He and his wife founded the abbey of Coventry in 1043. "Leofricus comes" founded the monastery of Coventry by undated charter. "Leofricus comes…et conjux mea Godgyve" donated property to Evesham Monastery by undated charter which names "frater meus Normannus" .

m GODGIFU, sister of THOROLD de Bukenhale, Sheriff of Lincolnshire, daughter of ---(-after [1054/57]). She is named as wife of Earl Leofric by Florence of Worcester, who specifies that she and her husband founded monasteries at Leominster, Wenlock, Chester and Stowe. The Annals of Peterborough record that "Thoroldus vicecomes et frater germanus Godivæ comitissæ Leycestriæ" founded Spalding Monastery in 1052. Her family origin is also indicated by the undated charter under which "Thoroldus de Bukenhale…vicecomiti" donated Spalding monastery to Croyland abbey which names "domino meo Leofrico comite Leicestriæ et…comitissa sua domina Godiva sorore mea…et cognati mei comitis Algari primogeniti et hæredis eorum". The De Gestis Herwardi Saxonis names "Aediva trinepta Oslaci ducis" as wife of "Lefricus de Brunne, nepos comitis Radulfi cognominati Scalre", when recording that they were parents of "Herwardus". "Oslaci ducis" could be "Oslac" recorded in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle as "earl [of Northumbria]" in 966, but any precise relationship has not been identified. "Leofricus comes…et conjux mea Godgyve" donated property to Evesham Monastery by undated charter which names "frater meus Normannus". Godgifu wife of Leofric granted property to St Mary's, Stow by charter dated [1054/57]. Orderic Vitalis records that "Elfgarus comes" had founded "Coventrense cœnobium" and that "Godiova...comitissa" donated "omnem thesaurum suum" to the church. She was the Lady Godiva of legend.

Leofric & his wife had one child: Ælfgar.

Leofric married Godgifu. (Godgifu died after 1054.)