Edward married Edith in 1045.

1. Edward and the Earls (mostly Godwins) Edward’s Foreign Links In reward for Earl Godwin’s support in his claim to the throne, Edward made Sweyn and Harold Godwinson earls. Edward appointed Robert of Jumieges as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051, going against the wishes of the monks and Godwin. After the Godwins were exiled, Edward promoted a number of French or Norman men to important positions. Edward showed no mercy at all toward the Godwins during the crisis of 1051. Edward exiled the Godwin family in 1051 having quarrelled about Dover and the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Edward exiled SweynGodwinson but allowed him to return, twice. Edward gave some Sussex ports to the Norman Abbey of Fecamp. Simply the fact that Edward had such strong Norman sympathies and had spent 25 years there would have made Anglo-Norman relations likely to be happy. Edward’s southern coastline was therefore secure throughout his reign. Edward failed to maintain the support of earls Leofric and Siward when Godwin attempted a return in 1052. It is possible that when the Godwins were in exile, Edward invited William of Normandy to England – this could have caused offence. In 1054 Edward sent Siward to invade Scotland to place Malcolm on the throne. Malcolm had been living in exile in England. Siward’s son died in the battle but he won and defeated Macbeth, restoring Malcolm to his throne. Edward allowed earldoms to become almost hereditary (passed on through families). Wessex and Merica stayed in the same families throughout his reign, though Northumbria did not after the death of Siward. Edward kept many of the Danish thegns and earls – the most powerful of which was Siward – from the reigns of Cnut, Harefoot and Harthacnut. Edward refused to send ships to King Swegen of Denmark in his fight with King Magnus of Norway. Edward sent Tostg and Harold to deal with King Gruffyd in 1063 and they returned with Gruffyd’s head. Edward outlawed earl Aelfgar but reinstated him twice after Aelfgar raided England alongside the Welsh king. Edward married Edith in 1045.

2. Edward and the Economy Edward and his military Barlow – ‘He did nothing to hinder trade and allowed some priviledges which encouraged it.’ Granted a group of Sussex ports to the Norman abbey of Fecamp – encouraging foreign trade. It is assumed that Edward kept his military on high alert until Magnus died in 1047. Until 1051 Edward paid for a small, probably Viking, navy. During the crisis of 1051/52 Edward summoned all the thegns in the land to him with their men. He also did this in 1065 when Tostigwas removed as earl of Northumbria. It was a tactic to deny men to the rebels, rather than a need for such a large army. Edward controlled the coinage system carefully, allowing him to extract taxes efficiently. In other words the coinage system was very centralisedand this was to the advantage of Edward and the economy. Edward changed the coinage eleven times and the efficiency of the system is proven by the fact that Harold managed to successfully release his own coinage system in the few short months that he was king. South-east ports were contracted to perform specialised military service, each owed 20 ships, each with a crew of 21, once a year for 15 days. Though Edward often had a small navy and a limited number of full-time soldiers (housecarls) he could summon a large fleet from the shires, or a large army (fyrd). These armies/navies when raised would be commanded by his earls. In 1050 Edward stopped paying for the small navy he had raised to counter the threat of Viking invasion. Edward taxed the land enough without taxing them too much, thus he never faced rebellion, nor is there any evidence of anger at taxation throughout his reign, yet he still successfully defended England. Compared to William of Normandy’s taxation of the land, which caused discontent, Edward’s monetary policy can be seen as astute. Barlow – ‘At least one brilliant Norman soldier, Robert of Rhuddlan, received his military training in Edward’s household.’ Barlow – Edward’s armies were not a ‘levee en masse’. In other words, people owed military service and it was known how many in each area of the land owed service. It was not a panic calling up of all able-bodied men. ‘An army assembled on this basis would not have been a rabble.’