Lady Godiva

With my novel Beheld: Godiva’s Story coming soon, I recently began a new semi-regular feature in my author newsletter. The feature is called “Godiva’s World” and provides interesting tidbits or snippets of history about Lady Godiva’s world—i.e. 11th-century England and its neighbors.

In the January 3, 2022, newsletter, I thought I’d provide a little insight into the complexities of the royal succession in England during Godiva’s lifetime. Beginning when the English King Æthelred II temporarily lost the throne in 1013 and ending with the return of Æthelred’s son Edward “The Confessor” to the throne in 1042, England saw a tumultuous period during which the crown passed back and forth between Danish invader kings and kings of Æthelred’s line. While writing Beheld: Godiva’s Story, I prepared a color graphic that charts this history and genealogy, mostly for my own reference and to help me keep the complex succession straight in my mind. I’ve now shared that chart with my newsletter readers both in the hope that they might find the history fascinating in its own right and as a bonus supplement some might want to reference while reading my book. 

If you’d like to receive the chart, along with additional giveaways, exclusive maps, short stories, and other bonus materials I’m sending out in the weeks leading up to my novel’s release, sign up for my newsletter today by filling out the form on my website. You can access the royal succession chart itself by clicking through to the January 3 issue under the list of back issues in your welcome email. I hope you enjoy it!