Lady Godiva Statue, A Tribute to Altruism and Daring

Lady Godiva Statue in Coventry, West Midlands, England

Statues are the business cards of cities

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Introduction

The Lady Godiva statue located in the center of Coventry was created by William Reid Dick (1879-1961). Lady Godiva (Godgifu, c. 990-1067) was a noblewoman of Anglo-Saxon England. According to legend, when her husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, imposed high taxes on the citizens of Coventry, Lady Godiva repeatedly requested tax relief but was refused. Finally, Leofric became tired of her pleas and declared that Lady Godiva could only receive tax relief if she rode naked on horseback through the city. Lady Godiva accepted the challenge, riding the horse around the city while naked and with her long hair covering her body. It is said that her behavior on horseback was intended to be kind to the citizens, so she requested that each citizen should stay indoors and close their windows as a sign of respect. However, a tailor named Tom violated this rule and peeped out his window, resulting in his blindness. Thus, the phrase "Peeping Tom" is derived from this legend. Finally, Leofric fulfilled his promise and granted the citizens tax relief.