Ordarik's War on Exeter

There is a good chance that Exeter was waiting for the sons of Harold Godwinson to land and launch an effort to retake England. The Thanes, those with all the wealth and power to make such things happen in this society, apparently had gotten cold feet. And so Exeter stood alone. At some point during the fighting, perhaps taking advantage of the fog of war or simply using the cover of night, Countess Githa, the mother of the falling king,. escaped Exeter and fled. According to John of Worcester, she was joined by many others, probably many if not all of the regional nobility.