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| A 19th Century statue of Godiva's ride by John Thomas, Maidstone Museum, Kent. |
According to the 13th century chronicler, Roger of Wendover, Lady Godiva (1002 - 1066?) rode a horse naked through the market place of Coventry. inorder to persuade her husband to reduce the taxes he had imposed on his tenants. The legend has it that a man named Tom who wanted to watch her ride was struck blind or dead.
Lady Godiva (1002 - 1066?) was an Anglo-Saxon noble woman who was married to Leofric, the Earl of Mercia. The couple had one son called Aefgar, Earl of Mercia. Both Leofric and Godiva were devout christians and were generous benefactors of several religious houses. For instance, Leofric founded and endowed the Benedictine monastery at Coventry.
Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry who were suffering heavily under her husband's brutal taxation. The lady appealed now and again to her husband to reduce the taxes on the poor people but to no avail. Finally her husband who had become tired of her wife's appeals said he would grant her request only if she would strip naked and ride a horse through the streets of the town.
Godiva took her husband's challenge seriously and immediately issued a proclaimation that all people of Coventry should stay indoors and shut their windows. The noble lady then rode through the town clothed only in her long hair. But one person in the town, a tailor called Tom disobeyed her proclaimation. He is reported to have bored a hole in his shutters so that he could see Lady Godiva pass. The poor voyeur was struck blind. In the end, Godiva's husband lived by his word and abolished the excessive taxes. Was Lady Godiva's action good or bad? You have a right to your opinion, be the judge.
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