He was probably son of the South Saxon Wulfnoth; but later stories makes his father a churl. He integrated himself with Earl Ulf, Canute's brother-in-law; by 1018 he was an earl, and about 1019 became Earl of the West Saxons. In 1042 he helped raise Edward the Confessor to the throne and had him married to his daughter Edith. Godwin led the struggle against the king's foreign favourites, while Edward revenged himself by heaping insults upon Queen Edith, confining her in
the monastery of Wherwell and banishing Godwin and his sons. But in 1052 they landed in the south of England; the royal troops, with the navy and vast numbers of burghers and peasants, went over to Godwin.The king was then forced to grant his demands and reinstate his family. Godwin died at Winchester, 15 April 1053.
 

Source: Leo van de Pas