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Lady Godiva: Tax Protester

April 15, 2015 By Pam

39-Godiva-John-CollierLady Godiva was creative and compassionate. You gotta give her that. She may not, however, have been real. Or, she may have been real but her ride wasn’t. In any case, the legend lingers.

THE STORY

It’s said that Godiva, an Anglo Saxon noblewoman in 11th century England, was distressed that her husband Leofric had become greedy and heartless. His excessive taxes were a hardship on the long-suffering common folk. What’s more, Leofric did not really need the money. He was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the land.

Lady Godiva begged her husband to lighten up. He thought her concern amusing and joked that, if she would ride naked through the middle of Coventry, he would indeed lower the taxes. He never thought she’d do it.

Faster than you can say “no peeking,” Godiva got on a white horse in her birthday suit, with no cover but her long hair, and rode down the main street. Out of respect and appreciation for her efforts on their behalf, the townspeople preserved her modesty by going into their homes and closing the shutters.

39-Movie-PosterOnly one man gave in to curiosity. “Peeping Tom” was struck blind for taking advantage of Godiva’s courage, compassion and vulnerability.

Leofric honored the agreement, impressed by his wife’s devotion to the people. And Lady Godiva continues to be good to Coventry. Tourists gather beneath the Lady Godiva clock to see her take her ride and watch Peeping Tom struck blind, every hour on the hour.

TO GO DEEPER

39-ChocolateLady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legend by Daniel Donoghue (Wiley-Blackwell, 2002) This scholarly book examines the evolution of the medieval myth.

Godiva Chocolates links their name to the legend and sponsors a program celebrating “inspirational women around the world.”

Videos:


“Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross” — the Godiva connection to the nursery rhyme. Worthwhile for the historic details, with attempts at humor, some of which are actually amusing, albeit from a male POV. (11:08 mins.)


“Discover Godiva Gallery” at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, England (2:22 mins.)

Credits:

Feature: Detail from illustration of Lady Godiva by Granger

Painting of Lady Godiva and red-draped horse by John Collier

 

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Coventry, Godiva Chocolates, Godiva Gallery, Lady Godiva, nursery rhyme, Peeping Tom, Ride a Cock Horse, tax protest

Pam McAllister

In 1982, I edited the anthology Reweaving the Web of Life: Feminism and Nonviolence and then wrote two books about women’s use of resistance and action: You Can't Kill the Spirit and This River of Courage.

I've spent a lifetime compiling stories of courageous, creative actions, categorizing them (a la Gene Sharp), writing books and articles, speaking at university forums, church retreats, feminist conferences. I’ve also joined in the action -- antiwar protests in the '70s, Take Back the Night marches in the '80s, prison reform rallies in the '90s, and Occupy Wall Street actions in recent years.

I am currently researching more examples of nonviolent action for peace and justice around the world for two new books -- one for/about children and another about women (whose actions are still so often left out or overlooked).

Here I am with Barbara Deming, my mentor and friend, in Sugarloaf Key in the early ‘80s. The photo has faded, but the memories and love have not.

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