Shedding light on a distant chapter, the puzzle behind Harold Godwinson's vanished crown could potentially be unraveled
In the heart of Bruges, Belgium, lies a fascinating tale of a medieval queen and her extraordinary legacy. Lady Gunhild, a figure from the past, left an indelible mark on the city, particularly on St. Donatian's Church.
Records from 1389 indicate that the sale of certain jewels or precious objects given by Lady Gunhild for the repair of the church's roof, vault, and choir were approved by the Bishop of Tournai. These gifts, which may have included the imperial crown (corona augustalis), were likely crown jewels, hinting at the grandeur of Gunhild's wealth.
Gunhild, sister of England's last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinson, was a woman of significant means. She held the income of four manors, one in Sussex and three in Somerset, providing her an annual income of just under £30. Yet, despite her wealth, she lived a pious and simple existence in Bruges.
The medieval St. Donatian's Church, established around AD 950 by Arnulf I, the count of Flanders, was more than just a place of worship. It was a college of canons and held relics of St. Donatian. The canons of St. Donatian at Bruges would have expected to receive charitable donations from English noblewomen, making Gunhild's bequest an expected yet extraordinary gesture.
The exact circumstances of Gunhild's gift of the precious possessions to the canons are not known. Some historians speculate that it might have been a sign of gratitude, while others suggest that it was expected of her. It is also possible that Gunhild, who fled England for Saint-Omer in Flanders, and later moved on to Bruges, felt a sense of sanctuary in St. Donatian's Church and chose to bestow her wealth there.
St. Donatian's Church was a place of sanctuary for Lady Gunhild, providing her with refuge during her exile. Her tomb, including a burial plaque and a long Latin obituary detailing her life in exile, was uncovered in St. Donatian's Church in 1786, almost 700 years after her death. The canons of St. Donatian were grateful for Gunhild's bequest, as suggested by the fact that she was buried in the church.
Monastic houses, including St. Donatian's, acted as banks providing loans and mortgages from the 11th century. It is possible that Gunhild gifted the canons these precious possessions not merely as a sign of gratitude, but because she was expected to do so.
Tragically, St. Donatian's Church was destroyed during the French Revolutionary Wars. Despite this, the story of Lady Gunhild and her extraordinary legacy remains a captivating chapter in the history of Bruges. The Norman Conquest scattered Harold Godwinson's surviving family across Europe, but in Bruges, the memory of Lady Gunhild continues to endure.
