After the death of Earl Godwin in 1053, who became Earl of Wessex?

• A. Harold Godwinson
• B. Tostig Godwinson
• C. Gryth Godwinson
• D. Leofwine Godwinson

Answer: (A)

The question is about how power was passed within a powerful noble family in Anglo-Saxon England. When Earl Godwin died in 1053, his eldest son, Harold Godwinson, was chosen to take over the earldom of Wessex. This reflected the common pattern of a father’s title passing to his heir, especially for a son who had already proven capable and who had the king’s trust. Harold’s appointment kept the Godwin family's grip on a vital region and laid the groundwork for his later rise to kingship in 1066. The other brothers did not inherit Wessex—Tostig became Earl of Northumbria, while Gryth (Gyrth) and Leofwine held other lordships rather than Wessex.