Which Historical Figure Inspired The Name of A Popular Chocolate Brand?

Hi, Good People. How are you today? Hopefully, you enjoy your time at home. Speaking of which, let’s have a little bit of history lesson today.

Among many chocolate brands around the world, there is one that stands out. This chocolate brand is inspired by a real historical figure. Nope, we are not talking about a baseball legend here. We are going way back more than his era.

Photo by Susanne Jutzeler

Which historical figure inspired the name of a popular chocolate brand? Check out these interesting facts.

Meet Lady Godiva

Yes, Godiva is a chocolate brand from Belgium. However, that name is inspired by Lady Godiva, a 900-year-old English legend. She was a noble lady who lived in the 11^th century. She was married to Earl Leofric of Mercia. Earl Leofric was also known as the Lord of Coventry.

The problem started when Leofric gave such crippling taxes to the Coventry citizens. Feeling seriously troubled by her husband’s greed and the people’s suffering from it, Lady Godiva had repeatedly asked him to reduce the taxes.

Leofric was adamant, so he challenged his wife with this: He would only reduce the taxes if she dared ride a horse through the center of the town without wearing anything. Since Lady Godiva was a noble lady, The Lord had assumed that she would never have done so.

Out of his expectation, Lady Godiva accepted the challenge. She had been determined to help her people, so she stripped herself naked. Then, she rode on a horse and started her horse galloping through the market square. The only thing that had covered herself back then was just her long, flowing hair.

Of course, before doing so, Lady Godiva had ordered the Coventry citizens to stay home and not have a peek. Unfortunately, a man named Tom could not help himself and give in to his curiosity. Because of that, he was struck blind. This is also how the term ‘Peeping Tom’ came from.

However, that story was considered a myth by many. The real Lady Godiva was known to be very generous with the church, alongside her husband, Lord Earl Leofric. The myth was apparently a stretch of a fact popularized by a monk named Roger of Wendover.

Godiva Chocolate was founded in 1926. This Belgian company sells chocolate in many flavors, truffles, cocoa, shakes, chocolate liqueur, coffee, and snacks.

Now you know which historical figure inspired the name of a popular chocolate brand is from. Not only that, though. Good People, you can also buy and share Godiva chocolate products with your loved ones too, since the lady herself was also generous.

Thank you for sticking around.