Folk Figure. Earl of Mercia, husband of Lady Godiva. He was awarded the earldom of Mercia by King Cnut following the death of the first Earl, Eadric, in 1017. As Earl of Mercia he was second in importance only to Earl Godwin of Wessex. He was a loyal supporter of Edward the Confessor, who succeeded Cnut's unpopular son, Harthacanute, in 1043, and helped raise an army to halt the hostile advance of Earl Godwin in 1051. The dispute was settled by diplomatic means, however, and Godwin was sent into exile. Leofric and his wife, Lady Godiva, were frequent donors to the church, founding a Benedictine monastery at Coventry in 1043 and also giving generously to the monastery of St Mary, Worcester and the minster at Stow St Mary, Lincolnshire, among others. He is recorded as dying "at a good old age" and was buried at Coventry in the monastery he and his wife founded.
Folk Figure. Earl of Mercia, husband of Lady Godiva. He was awarded the earldom of Mercia by King Cnut following the death of the first Earl, Eadric, in 1017. As Earl of Mercia he was second in importance only to Earl Godwin of Wessex. He was a loyal supporter of Edward the Confessor, who succeeded Cnut's unpopular son, Harthacanute, in 1043, and helped raise an army to halt the hostile advance of Earl Godwin in 1051. The dispute was settled by diplomatic means, however, and Godwin was sent into exile. Leofric and his wife, Lady Godiva, were frequent donors to the church, founding a Benedictine monastery at Coventry in 1043 and also giving generously to the monastery of St Mary, Worcester and the minster at Stow St Mary, Lincolnshire, among others. He is recorded as dying "at a good old age" and was buried at Coventry in the monastery he and his wife founded.
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