Hakon Sweynson () was the only son of
Sweyn Godwinson, brother of
Harold II of England.
Biography
He was given as a hostage to
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was King of England from 1042 until his death in 1066. He was the last reigning monarch of the House of Wessex.
Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. He succeede ...
in 1051 as assurance of his grandfather
Godwin, Earl of Wessex's bad behaviour and support during the confrontation between the earl and the king which led to the exile of Godwin and his other sons.
Upon Godwin's return to England at the head of an army in 1052, following extensive preparations in Ireland and Flanders, Norman supporters of King Edward, and especially Archbishop
Robert of Jumièges
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...
, fled England. It is likely at this point that Hakon (and
Wulfnoth, a younger son of Godwin) were spirited away by the fleeing archbishop, and taken to Normandy, where they were handed over to
Duke William of Normandy.
According to
Eadmer's ''Historia novorum in Anglia'', the reason for Harold's excursion to Normandy in 1064 or 1065 was that he wished to free Wulfnoth and Hakon. To this end he took with him a vast amount of wealth, all of which was paid to
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Guy I of Ponthieu.
Hakon returned to England with Harold, and nothing more is known of him after this point.
However, his uncle Wulfnoth remained in Normandy, took no part in the battle of Hastings, and outlived William the Conqueror.
[Walker, Ian W. Harold The Last Anglo-Saxon King. Stroud, History Press 2010 p222 ]
References
External links
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House of Godwin
Anglo-Saxon people
11th-century English people
{{House of Godwin