FAQ About Lady Godiva

This is a question that's been asked many times. The fact of the matter is that there really was no Lady Godiva and this battle cry for purity has merely become a legend, but not without a reason. The tradition of riding naked back and forth through Coventry on horseback—in order to recall an ancient deed by Lady Godiva—dates from the mid-19th century England when protesting taxes became popular among citizens as well as among members of parliament who were unhappy with government spending. In 1842, anger about rising wheat prices in particular caused John Prestige (1813–68), member for Aylesbury, to imitate Lady Godiva and ride his horse through London's streets clothed only in a long sheet