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King & Saint: The Life of Edward the Confessor
The first major biography of Edward the Confessor for almost 40 years, written by a critically acclaimed historian, presents a very different interpretation of Edward's personality - not the holy simpleton, rather a wily and devious king of England.
Born when England was besieged by blood-thirsty Vikings, the future King of England was forced into exile in Normandy to escape the Danish invasion. Often portrayed as holy simpleton, Edward was in fact a wily and devious King. To most Kings a childless marriage would have been an Achilles heel to their reign, but Edward turned this to his advantage. He cunningly played off his potential rivals and successors to his advantage using the prize of the throne as leverage. Edward's posthumous reputation grew as stories were spread by the monks of his magnificent foundation, Westminster Abbey. The childless King was transformed through the monks' vision into a chaste, pious, and holy man. Miracles were attributed to him and he was credited with the King's Touch - the ability to cure illnesses by touch alone. In 1161 he was canonized as Saint Edward the Confessor and is the patron saint of the Royal Family.
Born when England was besieged by blood-thirsty Vikings, the future King of England was forced into exile in Normandy to escape the Danish invasion. Often portrayed as holy simpleton, Edward was in fact a wily and devious King. To most Kings a childless marriage would have been an Achilles heel to their reign, but Edward turned this to his advantage. He cunningly played off his potential rivals and successors to his advantage using the prize of the throne as leverage. Edward's posthumous reputation grew as stories were spread by the monks of his magnificent foundation, Westminster Abbey. The childless King was transformed through the monks' vision into a chaste, pious, and holy man. Miracles were attributed to him and he was credited with the King's Touch - the ability to cure illnesses by touch alone. In 1161 he was canonized as Saint Edward the Confessor and is the patron saint of the Royal Family.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2008
About the author
Peter Rex
13 books9 followersBorn in in 1930, Peter Rex attended St Brendan’s and Bristol University prior to earning an MA at Coventry. He taught at Huddersfield and Princethorpe College until his retirement in 1994.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 9, 2014
Source: Free copy from Amberley in exchange for a review.
Summary:
Two quotes from the foreword:
"This work is an attempt to present an alternative view of the confessor's life, character and achievements by taking into account much of the work which has been done."
"Many scholars who have worked in this field over the last one hundred and fifty years have allowed themselves to be misled by the glib persuasiveness of the Norman accounts of Edward's actions and motives."
It's beneficial to read forewords, introductions, and prefaces; because it is through them, the reader understands the goals, aims, and themes, of the book. They are a beginning point, a book map. We understand where we are going, why, and what to look for along the way.
Edward was born (probably) in 1003. Edward's mother was Emma of Normandy, she was of Dane and Norse ancestry. Edward' father was King Aethelred II of England. Aethelred and Emma had three children together. Aethelred had ten children by previous wives and mistresses. Aethelred died when Edward was age thirteen. Emma later married Cnut who ruled England 1016-1035. Aethelred, his brother Alfred, and sister Godgifu, were exiled to Normandy after their father's death. It was never thought Edward would one day be king of England.
My Thoughts:
Before reading, Edward the Confessor, King of England, I'd read only brief commentaries, or essays on him. I feel well acquainted with Edward after reading Peter Rex's book.
There are several points which led me to give this book 5 stars.
1. Rex explores: Edward's early life, his parents, siblings, exile years in Normandy, and the events leading to his reign.
2. The kings before Edward are described: Sweyn, Edmund II Ironside, Cnut, Harold Harefoot, and Harthacnut. Most of these kings ruled in brief.
3. A chronicle of the relationship between Edward and Earl Godwine of Wessex is given. Godwine sought power and prestige. He was arrogant, ambitious, and disobedient to the king. Rex refers to Godwine as a "wealthy upstart".
4. Peter Rex fleshed-out the historical characters, and they became clearer to me in the culture and society in which they lived, and in the decisions they made, and their legacy.
5. I enjoyed reading the years before Edward's death, when legend tells us William from Normandy came to visit; a preclude to his invasion later. Rex points out,
"Much ink has been spilt over this visit and it has been linked to the post-Conquest Norman claims about William of Normandy's entitlement to the English throne. Some have even doubted that the visit took place, pointing to the fact that Duke William was at the critical time heavily engaged in warfare at the sieges of Alencon and Domfront, and would have found it difficult, though perhaps not impossible, to fit in a visit to England. Accepting that William did come, what can be made of it?...The Norman writers themselves know nothing about any such visit and it must surely be accepted that had they known, they would have made great use of it." Page 113.
6. I appreciated Peter Rex expressing an approach which shares both sides of the Norman Conquest. The legends which have been passed down, and the facts which we have.
7. The Welsh, Scotland, and Northumbria, revolts and political maneuverings are explained.
8. Edward's lasting legacy of St Peter's Abbey/Westminster.
9. Edward and the cult which followed his death.
Summary:
Two quotes from the foreword:
"This work is an attempt to present an alternative view of the confessor's life, character and achievements by taking into account much of the work which has been done."
"Many scholars who have worked in this field over the last one hundred and fifty years have allowed themselves to be misled by the glib persuasiveness of the Norman accounts of Edward's actions and motives."
It's beneficial to read forewords, introductions, and prefaces; because it is through them, the reader understands the goals, aims, and themes, of the book. They are a beginning point, a book map. We understand where we are going, why, and what to look for along the way.
Edward was born (probably) in 1003. Edward's mother was Emma of Normandy, she was of Dane and Norse ancestry. Edward' father was King Aethelred II of England. Aethelred and Emma had three children together. Aethelred had ten children by previous wives and mistresses. Aethelred died when Edward was age thirteen. Emma later married Cnut who ruled England 1016-1035. Aethelred, his brother Alfred, and sister Godgifu, were exiled to Normandy after their father's death. It was never thought Edward would one day be king of England.
My Thoughts:
Before reading, Edward the Confessor, King of England, I'd read only brief commentaries, or essays on him. I feel well acquainted with Edward after reading Peter Rex's book.
There are several points which led me to give this book 5 stars.
1. Rex explores: Edward's early life, his parents, siblings, exile years in Normandy, and the events leading to his reign.
2. The kings before Edward are described: Sweyn, Edmund II Ironside, Cnut, Harold Harefoot, and Harthacnut. Most of these kings ruled in brief.
3. A chronicle of the relationship between Edward and Earl Godwine of Wessex is given. Godwine sought power and prestige. He was arrogant, ambitious, and disobedient to the king. Rex refers to Godwine as a "wealthy upstart".
4. Peter Rex fleshed-out the historical characters, and they became clearer to me in the culture and society in which they lived, and in the decisions they made, and their legacy.
5. I enjoyed reading the years before Edward's death, when legend tells us William from Normandy came to visit; a preclude to his invasion later. Rex points out,
"Much ink has been spilt over this visit and it has been linked to the post-Conquest Norman claims about William of Normandy's entitlement to the English throne. Some have even doubted that the visit took place, pointing to the fact that Duke William was at the critical time heavily engaged in warfare at the sieges of Alencon and Domfront, and would have found it difficult, though perhaps not impossible, to fit in a visit to England. Accepting that William did come, what can be made of it?...The Norman writers themselves know nothing about any such visit and it must surely be accepted that had they known, they would have made great use of it." Page 113.
6. I appreciated Peter Rex expressing an approach which shares both sides of the Norman Conquest. The legends which have been passed down, and the facts which we have.
7. The Welsh, Scotland, and Northumbria, revolts and political maneuverings are explained.
8. Edward's lasting legacy of St Peter's Abbey/Westminster.
9. Edward and the cult which followed his death.
May 19, 2020
It is hard for me to evaluate this book, since I knew absolutely nothing about Edward the Confessor before I read it. Rex's claims--that in fact Edward the Confessor probably wasn't celibate for religious reasons, that he probably didn't meet William the Conqueror and make him heir to his throne--certainly sound plausible, but arguments to the contrary might have seemed just as reasonable to me. I am curious to read the Barlow biography and see how the two books compare.
As for Edward himself, it's (unsurprisingly, given that he died a thousand years ago) difficult to get a grasp on who he was. After reading books about Alfred the Great, who seems to have been brilliant and highly accomplished, Edward the Confessor seems a bit dull and ordinary. He came to the throne almost reluctantly, he managed to hold onto it, he died and somehow a cult formed around his memory. He had no children and our understanding of his relationship with his wife, not surprisingly, is murky and ambiguous.
Rex seems more interested in Harold Godwinson, who may have been Edward's chosen heir, than in Edward himself. You get the feeling that every time Rex reads about the Battle of Hastings he roots for a different ending. Indeed the Godwinsons are a fascinating family and their complex dealings with Edward are the most interesting part of the book.
As for Edward himself, it's (unsurprisingly, given that he died a thousand years ago) difficult to get a grasp on who he was. After reading books about Alfred the Great, who seems to have been brilliant and highly accomplished, Edward the Confessor seems a bit dull and ordinary. He came to the throne almost reluctantly, he managed to hold onto it, he died and somehow a cult formed around his memory. He had no children and our understanding of his relationship with his wife, not surprisingly, is murky and ambiguous.
Rex seems more interested in Harold Godwinson, who may have been Edward's chosen heir, than in Edward himself. You get the feeling that every time Rex reads about the Battle of Hastings he roots for a different ending. Indeed the Godwinsons are a fascinating family and their complex dealings with Edward are the most interesting part of the book.
February 5, 2024
Much better than the same authors history of Hereward. Strong conclusions and explanations on Edward's canonisation.
April 27, 2020
Peter Rex’s King and Saint: The Life of Edward the Confessor is not just the fourth biography of its subject that I have read, it is the second of four biographies by this incredibly prolific historian that I will be reading for this site. As the solitary biographer of Edgar, Edward’s grandfather, Rex pretty much owned the field, so reading this book meant that for the first time I had the ability to evaluate his work compared to that of other scholars.
For the rest of my review, click on the link:
https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2020/...
For the rest of my review, click on the link:
https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2020/...
July 29, 2017
I enjoyed how the author thouroughly researched the available contents for this book
June 14, 2020
Less a biography in the popular sense of the word than an iconoclastic reassessment of Edward's life and reign based on a critical reading of the historical record. Rex puts the case that many of the inveterate beliefs about Edward arise from "the black arts of spin doctors" apparent in the Norman accounts of Edward's life. He argues (among other things) that, contrary to popular notions, Edward was not a docile and slightly dimwitted peacemaker, but a wily and effective ruler and politician; that Earl Godwine (although critical to Edward's return from exile in Normandy and Edward's rise to power) had much less influence over Edward than commonly asserted; that Edward did not fill his court with Norman friends and advisors; that William of Normandy did little, or nothing, to ensure Edward's accession to the throne; that there is no evidence that Edward ever promised to make William heir to the English throne; and that Edward's reputation for sanctity, and particularly virginity, was more the result of post-Conquest myth born of nostalgia for the pre-Norman "golden age" and Edward's establishment of Westminster Abbey. I would not recommend this book to any reader looking for a romantic narrative biography of the last of the Anglo-Danish kings of England.
January 31, 2019
I found this harder going than his “1066”. It jumps about a lot and I found myself wanting something more linear, even at the risk of forgetting things. Still, it’s fascinating, impeccably researched and it’s very hard to disagree with his conclusions.
January 29, 2025
Doesn’t do anything that the Frank Barlow biography didn’t do better several decades earlier. If you want a modern biography, you’re better off going for Tom Licence’s book on Edward, which is newer, easier to read, and better researched.
February 26, 2021
The story is surprisingly outstanding. Edward was the last sputtering gasps of Anglo-Saxon rule over England, sure, but he was also the salve that remedied the failed legacy of his father, King Aethelred II, thus saving the overall legacy of House Wessex, the bloodline of Alfred the Great.
That said, the author did an exceptional job. My only drawback is that he repeated himself quite a bit, which was fine to a point, but it became tedious by the end. Otherwise, Rex did a fine job.
That said, the author did an exceptional job. My only drawback is that he repeated himself quite a bit, which was fine to a point, but it became tedious by the end. Otherwise, Rex did a fine job.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews