Ethelred the Saxon.    Emma.     Canute the Dane.
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Edward.                        Hardicanute. 
Alfred.

Harold was the son of Canute by a former marriage.  Emma, of course, felt no maternal interest in him, and though compelled by circumstances to acquiesce for a time in his possession of the kingdom, her thoughts were continually with her own sons; and since the attempt to bring Hardicanute to the throne had failed, she began to turn her attention toward her Norman children.

After scheming for a time, she wrote letters to them, proposing that they should come to England.  She represented to them that the Anglo-Saxon portion of the people were ill at ease under Harold’s dominion, and would gladly embrace any opportunity of having a Saxon king.  She had no doubt, she said, that if one of them were to appear in England and claim the throne, the people would rise in mass to support him, and he would easily get possession of the realm.  She invited them, therefore, to repair secretly to England, to confer with her on the subject; charging them, however, to bring very few, if any, Norman attendants with them, as the English people were inclined to be very jealous of the influence of foreigners.

The brothers were very much elated at receiving these tidings; so much so that in their zeal they were disposed to push the enterprise much faster than their mother had intended.  Instead of going, themselves, quietly and secretly to confer with her in London, they organized an armed expedition of Norman soldiers.  The youngest, Alfred, with an enthusiasm characteristic of his years, took the lead in these measures.  He undertook to conduct the expedition.  The eldest consented to his making the attempt.  He landed at Dover, and began his march through the southern part of the country. Godwin went forth to meet him.  Whether he would join his standard or meet him as a foe, no one could tell.  Emma considered that Godwin was on her side, though even she had not recommended an armed invasion of the country.

It is very probable that Godwin himself was uncertain, at first, what course to pursue, and that he intended to have espoused Prince Alfred’s cause if he had found that it presented any reasonable prospect of success.  Or he may have felt bound to serve Harold faithfully, now that he had once given in his adhesion to him.  Of course, he kept his thoughts and plans to himself, leaving the world to see only his deeds.  But if he had ever entertained any design of espousing Alfred’s cause, he abandoned it before the time arrived for action.  As he advanced into the southern part of the island, he called together the leading Saxon chiefs to hold a council, and he made an address to them when they were convened, which had a powerful influence on their minds in preventing their deciding in favor of Alfred.  However much they might desire a monarch of their own line, this,