Harold II PAX Penny, Huntingdon Mint, moneyer Godric

Harold II (6^thJan-14^thOct 1066), silver Penny, Huntingdon Mint, Moneyer Godric, crowned bust left with sceptre, legend and beaded outer circle surrounding, legend commences at top, +HAROLD REX AN, rev. PAX between beaded lines horizontal at centre, beaded circles and legend surrounding, legend commences at lower left +GODRIC ON HVNI, weight 1.24g (BMC type I; N.836; S.1186). Lightly toned but perhaps once cleaned, scratch across mouth with some tiny digs on bust, some stress striations on reverse perhaps from being in the ground, otherwise good fine, bolder on reverse, very rare.

The legends translate as "Harold King of the English" on the obverse and "Godric of Huntingdon" on the reverse with "Peace" across the centre.

According to North the Lewes Mint operated with up to three moneyers in this reign for this sole type.

Harold "Godwinson" the son of Godwin of Wessex born circa 1022, rose to prominence in the reign of Edward the Confessor, especially after his Father passed away in 1053 becoming Chief Minister and Commander in Chief of England and the second richest man after Edward himself. Harold waged successful campaigns against the Welsh and supressed revolts, notably that of his brother Tostig of Northumbria in 1065 who he exiled. At this time the French sources say Harold visited with William of Normandy possibly to negotiate the release of his brother Wulfnoth and nephew who were held hostage. Harold apparently accompanied William on an expedition to Brittaney, bravely saving some soldiers from quicksand at Mont St Michel; for which William knighted him, effectively making him "his man" and to swear an allegiance to him as heir to England; all unknowingly over some holy relics as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. Harold succeeded to the English throne on the 4^thJanuary ahead of Edgar Aethling who was 12-14 years of age, and he was crowned on the 5^thJanuary 1066 at Westminster Abbey, the first such event in the new building. Harold was married to Edith "Swan-neck" and had three sons and two daughters, but by the Summer of 1066 with the threat of William of Normandy in the south, and Norwegian Harald Hardradi from the north, to gain the allegiance of the powerful northern Earls Edwin and Morcar, he set aside his wife to marry their sister Edith, the widow of Gruffyd of Wales. Harold's exiled brother Tostig briefly raided the coast of Norfolk but was driven off to Scotland to his ally Malcolm III; where he was ideally placed to join Harald Hardradi, who first landed shortly after in the Orkneys. Earls Edwin and Morcar marched north and were defeated by Harald at Gate Fulford on the 20^thSeptember 1066 who then took York. The invaders moved on and were caught by Harold II and his army unawares on the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge, where they were defeated on 25^thSeptember with both Harald and Tostig killed.

Meanwhile on the 27^thSeptember William set sail and landed at Pevensey Bay, East Sussex ravaging the county to lure Harold II to battle from over two hundred miles from the north. The decisive encounter took place on the 14^thOctober 1066 with Harold killed in the final attack of the day, having either been cut down by a horseman or suffering from the injury of the arrow in the eye, his ex-wife Edith Swan-neck had to identify him, he was no older than 44. In London the young Edgar Aethling grandson of Edmund Ironside was proclaimed King by the Archbishop of York and the Earls of Mercia and Northumbria, but it was merely a waiting game until a surrender to William at Berkhamsted. Edgar went to Scotland, where his sister Margaret had married King Malcolm III, being later involved in a failed revolt in 1068; and then survived till as late as 1125. He was therefore aware that his niece Edith of Scotland, also known as Matilda, married into the Norman family as wife of King Henry I. His sister Margaret was later canonized as by Pope Innocent IV in 1250 as well as being mother to two Scottish Kings.

Huntingdon is situated on the River Ouse nearly 60 miles north of London. The Danes occupied and left some time in 917 and Edward the Elder rebuilt the castle, it was ravaged by the Danes again in 1010. The Norman castle was built by William I in 1086 and the earldom of Huntingdon was inherited by King David I of Scotland and granted to his son Henry in 1135.

Provenance:

Found at Great Paxton August 2020, EMC 2021.0006

St James Auction 58, 30^th March 2022, lot 74.