Today in History—July 10: Lady Godiva’s Legendary (Emphasis on Legend) Ride
If “Godiva” rings a bell, you’re probably thinking of the famous Belgian chocolate brand. But almost a thousand years before the confection existed, there was a real woman by the name of Lady Godiva.
She was an 11th-century English noblewoman, and she sits squarely atop a horse—naked—at the center of one of England’s most enduring legends.
The story goes like this: Lady Godiva pleaded with her husband, Leofric, the earl of Mercia (a kingdom in what is now England), to reduce the heavy taxes imposed on their people. Frustrated by her repeated requests, Leofric supposedly replied that he would—but only if she rode naked through the village of Coventry. Modesty was a big deal, so he was asking her to make a serious sacrifice.
Legend has it that on July 10, 1040, she accepted the challenge.
Before setting out on horseback, however, she asked the townspeople to remain indoors and close their shutters out of respect. Everyone complied except one curious resident. The man, who would later be known as “Peeping Tom” (giving birth to the phrase), secretly watched the procession—and was promptly struck blind for his indiscretion.
Moved by his wife’s determination, Leofric lowered the taxes.
Lady Godiva herself was very real. Known in Old English as Godgifu, she is believed to have been among the few women in 11th-century England to hold extensive lands. She and Leofric helped establish a monastery and became known as benefactors of religious institutions.
According to the legend, Lady Godiva’s long hair served as a covering on her ride.
The naked horse ride, however, is another matter.
No records from her lifetime mention the event—and this seems like the sort of thing someone might have written down. In fact, the story does not appear in writing until nearly two centuries after her death. Also, Coventry belonged to the lady, not her husband, so it’s possible that she would have had a say in its taxation from the start.
But myths don’t need receipts, and this one has endured for nearly a thousand years. It lives on in a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, a painting by John Collier, and festivals in Coventry—and yes, through boxes of chocolate.
- ~360,000: Population of Coventry in 2026
- 1842: Year Tennyson’s poem “Godiva” is published
- 1926: Godiva chocolate brand founded
- 1890: Wyoming is admitted as the 44th state
- 1925: The Scopes Monkey Trial begins
- 1991: Boris Yeltsin is sworn in as Russia’s first popularly elected president
