Godgifu

  General Notes:

GODGIFU . 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]. She was the Lady Godiva of legend.

m LEOFRIC Earl of Mercia, son of LEOFWINE Ealdorman of the Hwicce in Mercia (-Bromley 30 Oct 1057, bur Coventry).

Godgifu married Leofric of Mercia Ealdorman of Mercia, son of Leofwine of Mercia Ealdorman of Mercia and Unknown. (Leofric of Mercia Ealdorman of Mercia died on 30 Oct 1057 in Bromley, Tower Hamlets, London, E3, GB and was buried in Coventry Abbey, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1, GB.)