How did the Godwins exercise military power?

• A. Lords of Hundreds of Thegns, Making Them Powerful War-Leaders
• B. Controlled the Royal Navy
• C. Led Only Ceremonial Troops
• D. Had No Military Power

Answer: (A)

The Godwins exercised military power through their position as powerful earls who commanded large networks of thegns. Thegns were local warrior elites, and those loyal to the Godwins formed a substantial force they could call upon. As earls, the Godwins could raise, equip, and lead these troops in campaigns, making them effective war-leaders who could influence battles and military strategy across their realms. This meant their power came from real commanding authority over armed followers, not from ceremonial duties or naval control, and certainly not from having no military power. Harold Godwinson’s prominence as a military leader in the family’s heyday illustrates this pattern: leadership of substantial armed forces flowing from their lands and retinues.