Gryffindor was the house of brave and daring wizards.
So who was the founder who lived and breathed these qualities?
Well, it’s none other than Godric Gryffindor.
1 of the most amazing wizards in history.
And a life story that definitely deserves the spotlight.
Continue reading to discover:
- What made Godric a unique duelist.
- An unlikely friend in Godric Gryffindor’s past.
- The clever meaning behind Godric’s last name.
- Why the Founder of Gryffindor was 1 of the kindest wizards in history.
- And so much more…
About Godric Gryffindor
| Born | Pre-976 |
| Purity | Unknown |
| House | Gryffindor |
| Character Traits | Brave, Kind-hearted, Daring, Honest |
| Patronus | Non-corporeal |
| Wand | Unknown |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries (Likely, but not proven) |
Godric Gryffindor background
Godric Gryffindor was born sometime in Pre-976.
And he was born in Godric’s Hollow. A small village in the West Country of England.
Unfortunately, we don’t know much about his childhood.
In fact, the books never mentioned it.
And the movies didn’t explore it too.
But Godric was a talented wizard.
So he either learned from his parents…
Or Godric managed to teach himself.
Godric Gryffindor occupation
Godric Gryffindor was 1 of the 4 Founders of Hogwarts.
A wizarding school in Great Britain that would build a legacy.
And would continue to teach students far and wide about magic.
In fact, 1 of the 4 houses would be named after Godric, “Gryffindor.”
A house that would embody the values he believed in:
- Brave.
- Daring.
- Courageous
- Stronghearted.
Godric Gryffindor character
Godric Gryffindor was tall.
And he was very muscular too.
A towering figure among the founders of Hogwarts.
He also had wavy red hair.
And they flowed down to match his beard…
Much like a lion’s mane.
On top of that, Godric Gryffindor had deep green eyes…
Which matched his light-medium complexion.
In fact, his outfit complemented his build as well.
Because he wore red robes.
And striking red gauntlets.
A look that resembled a mix of wizard and knight.
As for Godric’s personality, he was a bold wizard.
In fact, even his stories said that:
“By Gryffindor, the bravest were prized far beyond the rest.”
More facts about Godric Gryffindor
#1: He had a powerful magic sword
1 of Godric’s most prized possessions was the Sword of Gryffindor.
A powerful magical sword made out of pure goblin silver.
And can you guess who made it for him?
It was Ragnuk the First.
The king of all goblins at the time.
In fact, it was so beautiful and magical…
Ragnuk tried stealing it back from Godric.
But were the goblins successful?
Not by a long shot.
Godric Gryffindor beat everyone Ragnuk sent his way.
In fact, he didn’t even kill any of them.
Godric spared their lives so they would send Ragnuk a message.
A warning to never try stealing his sword again…
Unless the goblin wanted Godric to fight them all.
But the best part about the sword?
Well, it can absorb the power of the beasts it can slay.
For example, do you remember the Basilisk that Harry Potter defeated?
Well, the sword took that giant snake’s powers.
And it became the perfect weapon against the evil Lord Voldemort‘s Horcruxes…
Since it was strong enough to destroy the artifacts that made him immortal.
Like when Neville Longbottom killed Nagini, the last Horcrux:
#2: A unique wizard duelist
There have been many powerful wizards in Harry Potter.
But if you’re looking for a wizard that stood out…
Then Godric Gryffindor was a one-of-a-kind duelist in history.
How so, you ask?
Well, if every other wizard and witch fought with a wand…
Godric didn’t stop there.
He also brought a sword to his duels.
And mixing his skills in swordsmanship and magic…
There was nobody quite like Godric Gryffindor.
Of course, he admitted that magic was more powerful.
But swords had their usefulness too.
Like when Godric Gryffindor got really close to his opponents.
In fact, even research agrees with his strategy.
Because being adaptable isn’t just smart…
It can also promote better life satisfaction.
Of course, in Godric’s case, he was adaptable in fights.
But it’s the thought that counts.
#3: He also dueled Muggles
I know it sounds crazy.
It would be pretty unfair for a wizard to go up against Muggles, right?
They can’t use magic.
So there’s a pretty big disadvantage.
Well, let’s not forget that Godric was the founder of Gryffindor house.
And 1 of Gryffindor’s best traits was being honest.
So he would never trick or fool a Muggle into fighting him and then use magic.
In fact, Godric would duel using only a normal sword.
But the best part?
Godric would still win.
And it goes to show how strong he really was…
Because he didn’t magic to win a fight.
Godric was exceptional in all kinds of combat.
#4: Very accepting of Muggle-borns
Yes, the wizarding world doesn’t have the best reputation with Muggle-borns.
Because they came from a family who couldn’t use magic…
A lot of people saw them as inferior.
But did everyone follow this mindset?
No, of course not.
In fact, there were a select few who were more tolerant.
And can you guess who was the most accepting of them all?
Well, it’s none other than Godric Gryffindor.
You see, Godric didn’t care about where you came from.
What mattered most to him was on the inside.
And if you had the courage, determination, and strength of heart…
He’d let you into Hogwarts anytime.
Plus, even a study approves of Godric’s perspective.
Because discrimination isn’t just wrong…
It can even negatively impact someone’s health too.
So if anyone ever says Godric only cared about bravery…
Let them know his understanding side.
Because he was definitely a wizard ahead of his time.
#5: He used to be best friends with Salazar Slytherin
Look, I know how it sounds impossible.
Salazar Slytherin despised Muggle-borns.
In fact, he even kept a Basilisk hidden in Hogwarts…
So it could attack students who didn’t come from pure wizarding families.
How could someone like that be best friends with Godric, right?
Well, Salazar Slytherin wasn’t always bad.
And ambition can be a good thing too.
In fact, it’s 1 of Slytherin’s better traits.
Plus, you need a little bit of bravery to make any goal a reality.
So it’s not shocking for Salazar and Godric to see eye to eye.
Unfortunately, after founding Hogwarts…
Salazar changed.
He let the idea of blood purity get to his head.
As a result, his friendship with Godric slowly faded away as well.
But, for what it’s worth, they were friends…
At least for a time.
#6: His birthplace was named after him
Godric’s Hollow was a special place.
For example, it’s where Albus Dumbledore grew up.
The most powerful wizard ever.
Not to mention, he had the most thought-provoking quotes too.
On top of that, the village had its fair share of evil as well.
Just like Gellert Grindelwald.
A dark wizard who would start a global wizarding war.
But the village wasn’t always called Godric’s Hollow.
It was simply another village in the West Country of England.
Yet when Godric finally passed away…
The people of the village named it after him.
Because Godric Gryffindor lived an honorable life.
And they felt pride in knowing someone as great as him came from their village.
#7: He owned the Sorting Hat
The Sorting Hat was a magical artifact.
And any student that wore it would find out the Hogwarts House for them.
But can you guess who owned it?
Well, it was actually Godric Gryffindor.
Plus, it was his excellent charm that started it all too.
A spell on the Sorting Hat that would recognize bravery and daring…
Not to mention all the other qualities of a Gryffindor student.
Of course, nowadays, it’s 1 of the reasons why Harry Potter’s bad literature.
Because it forced people into stereotypes…
Which made characters lose depth at times.
But it’s cool to know who actually owned the Sorting Hat.
And it worked pretty well despite its obvious downsides.
Bonus: His name’s a clever pun
J.K. Rowling loved putting deeper meanings behind characters’ names.
And Godric Gryffindor was no different.
You see, the Gryffindor house symbol was a red and gold Griffin.
But if you translate golden griffin into French.
You would get Griffon d’Or.
So Godric’s last name was nothing more than a homophone.
And J.K. Rowling went with it because it sounded the same.
Plus, the meanings and symbols would end up matching too.