This is a good, fairly short account of the rise and fall of the Godwins as a family throughout the course of the 11th century. It identifies a likely ancestry for Godwin, seven generations descended from King Ethelred I, one of Alfred's elder brothers. Much of the book deals with events with which I am very familiar with in other works and there is nothing terribly new here, although useful to have it in easily digestible form. The final chapter usefully examines the eventual fate of Harold Godwinsson's offspring - generally unknown, they had all faded into history by the end of the century. 4/5 ( )

Brilliant ( )