Earldom

Anglo-Saxon earldoms

Initially, Cnut kept Wessex for himself and divided the rest of England into three earldoms. He gave the earldom of East Anglia to Thorkell the Tall and the earldom of Northumbria to Eric. Eadric Streona retained the earldom of Mercia, which he had held since 1007. Cnut gave Godwin the earldom of Wessex in 1018. Eventually Godwin was also granted the earldom of Kent. Thorkell vanished from the records after 1023, and Godwin became the leading earl.