Lady Godiva lived in the 11th century and was the wife of Count Leofric of Mercia. She went down in history thanks to one of her very beautiful deeds. However, many are sure that there was no act, that it was just an invention and a legend …
The Real Facts About Lady Godiva
Credible historical sources suggest that Lady Godiva was born around 990, married for the first time at a young age, and became widowed almost immediately. In 1030, she fell ill with some kind of serious illness, but then managed to recover and marry again - to Count Leofric.
It is also known that this lady was a very devout woman. She made generous donations to the local Benedictine monastery, and before her death (Godiva died presumably in 1067) she gave him all her lands. In this monastery she was buried, and next to her noble husband.
The essence of the famous legend
The story that made Lady Godiva famous for centuries happened, according to the chronicle of the monk Roger Wendrover, in 1040 in Coventry. Then England was ruled by King Edward the Confessor, known for his inability to conduct state affairs and his lack of understanding of English realities. There was a lack of funds in the country, and the king decided to raise taxes. Titled persons were to take care of their collection. Specifically in the city of Coventry and the surrounding territories, it was supposed to be done by Count Leofric. In fact, he was the owner of this city. But the residents, of course, did not like this innovation. They paid a lot of money anyway, and the new order could completely ruin them.
They begged the count to refuse to raise taxes, but he stood his ground. Then his pious and very kind wife joined the business. She also began to ask her husband to reduce the amount of taxes to the previous level. Emotionally, Count Leofric said that he would abolish the cruel taxes only when she rode through Coventry naked on a horse. He believed that his wife would not dare to do this, but he was wrong. Godiva sacrificed her own pride and honor for the sake of ordinary people. On July 10, 1040, according to the Vendrover chronicle, this lovely woman sat naked on her horse and rode in this form through the streets of the city.
The people of Coventry, knowing this, closed the shutters and doors, and sat in their houses, not looking outside - this was how their respect for the lady was manifested. Only a city dweller named Tom broke the unspoken prohibition - through a crack he looked at the girl on a horse, and immediately went blind. The count was delighted with the dedication of his wife and fulfilled his promise - he lowered taxes.
Did Lady Godiva really ride naked in Coventry?
The legend of Lady Godiva quickly became popular in England. Already in the thirteenth century, King Edward I of England decided to figure out what was true and what was false in it. To do this, he invited specialists - they had to research all available chronicle sources and establish the truth. These experts found that since 1057, residents of Coventry have been tax exempt. But whether Lady Godiva has anything to do with this, it was not possible to find out. That is, the question of the veracity of the legend remains open.
But this does not prevent the inhabitants of Coventry from 1678 to this day to organize a festival in honor of the lady and her unusual horseback ride. Festival participants dress up in bright costumes of the 11th century, play musical instruments, and sing songs. In the evening, fireworks are organized for guests and residents of the city.
