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According to an article from the BBC, which we uncovered with a search on ¿lady godiva,¿ the legendary lady was real, though her infamous horseride in the buff was most likely myth. A noblewoman in 11th-century England, Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. The couple was very generous and religious. Great benefactors of Coventry, they funded an abbey in the center of town and were actively involved in local affairs. Lady Godiva tried to foster an appreciation of the arts among local peasants
and townsfolk. Consumed by the difficulty of earning a living and feeding and clothing their families, the citizens of Coventry were too busy to be bothered with aesthetic pursuits. So Lady Godiva pressured her husband to lower taxes to ease their financial burdens. Leofric agreed, but with one condition -- to prove her dedication to the arts, Lady Govida had to ride naked through the marketplace. Leofric argued that the ancient Greeks and Romans thought the human body was symbolic of the perfection of nature and God¿s work, and urged Lady Godiva to put her money where her mouth was, so to speak. His plan to discourage her backfired -- she agreed to his terms and made her infamous ride. True to his word, her husband removed all local taxes (with the exception of the tax on horses).
Several different versions of this story exist. Some claim that Lady Godiva rode through the crowded town center, straight-backed and unabashed, while a later version claims she hid her body behind her long hair and asked the townspeople to stay inside. One curious young boy named Tom, the latter version claims, could not resist temptation and sneaked a peep. Hence, the origin of ¿peeping tom.¿ Alas, the evidence suggests a tale of fancy and imagination rather than fact. Chroniclers of the 11th and 12th centuries write of Godiva, but neglect to mention her altruistic exhibitionism. In fact, the first written record of her naked ride is dated more than 100 years after her death, written by a man ¿renowned for
his exaggeration and politically biased embellishment.¿ A later inquiry into the matter showed that at the time of Lady Godiva's alleged ride, horses were the only property subject to taxation, proving a key part of the story false. True or not, the 900-year-old tale has become part of the lore of Coventry, and the town celebrates with an annual Godiva Festival. If you happen to be in the neighborhood in early June, drop by. You just might get an eyeful.
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