Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha, a Danish noblewoman. His sister, Edith, was married to the king he succeeded, Edward the Confessor. About that same time Harold became Earl of East Anglia. When his father died in 1053, Harold inherited his earldom of Wessex. Elfgar, son of Leofric of Mercia was appointed to replace Harold in East Anglia. Berkshire and Somerset were joined to Wessex again. Wessex itself was, in those days, an enormous amount of land that covered about a third of England. Harold ruled over a large portion of England, making him the most powerful man in the whole kingdom, after the King.