The Elder And Elthfred: Wedding Dates And History

Edward the Elder, born around 874, was the son of Alfred the Great and his queen Ealhswith of Mercia. Around 893, Edward married Ecgwynn, and they had two children: a son named Aethelstan, and a daughter who married Sihtric, the Viking king of Northumbria. Ecgwynn probably died around 899, and Edward then married for a second time, to Aefflaed, the daughter of an ealdorman of Wiltshire. They had several children, including Eadgifu, wife of Charles the Simple, king of West Francia, and Eadgyth, wife of Emperor Otto I. Edward married for a third time, around 919, to Eadgifu, the daughter of Sigehelm, the ealdorman of Kent. They had three children, including Edmund, who became king after Edward's death in 924, and Eadred, who succeeded Edmund as king.

Edward the Elder's first marriage to Ecgwynn

Edward the Elder, born around 874, was the son of Alfred the Great and his wife Ealhswith of Mercia. He was the eldest son, but his succession to the throne was not guaranteed. In about 893, Edward married Ecgwynn, about whom very little is known. She may have been a relative of St Dunstan. Ecgwynn bore Edward two children: a son, Æthelstan, who would become king after Edward's death, and a daughter, who married Sihtric, the Viking King of York.

Ecgwynn was likely of noble birth, described by the chronicler William of Malmesbury as an "illustris femina" (noble lady). However, her exact background and social status are uncertain. Some sources claim that she was a concubine or mistress, but this is disputed by historians. Ecgwynn's marriage to Edward probably took place around 893, when Edward had reached the age of majority and securing the continuation of Alfred's line would have been a priority.

Ecgwynn's marriage to Edward ended around 899, and by 901, Edward had married for the second time to Ælfflæd, the daughter of an Ealdorman of Wiltshire. It is possible that Ecgwynn died around this time, or that her first marriage to Edward was not considered politically important enough to buttress his position as king.

Ecgwynn's daughter with Edward, whose name is unknown, married Sihtric Cáech, the Norse King of Dublin, Ireland, and Northumbria. Ecgwynn's grandson through this marriage, Olaf, became King of Northumbria.

Edward the Elder's second marriage to Ælfflæd

Edward the Elder's second marriage was to Ælfflæd, the daughter of Ealdorman Æthelhelm, probably of Wiltshire. Ælfflæd was previously thought to have been consecrated as queen when Edward was crowned in 900, but this is now thought unlikely. Ælfflæd attested a charter of Edward as conjux regis (king's wife) in 901, and this is the only surviving charter which she attested. She never attested as queen.

Ælfflæd had two sons, Ælfweard and Edwin, and five or six daughters, including Eadgifu, Eadhild, and Eadgyth. Ælfweard may have become king of Wessex on his father's death in 924, but he died within a month. Ælfflæd's marriage to Edward ended in the late 910s, and according to William of Malmesbury, Edward put her aside to marry his third wife, Eadgifu. Ælfflæd adopted a religious life outside a regular monastic house, retaining possession of her estates, and was buried at Wilton Abbey with her daughters Eadflæd and Æthelhild.

Edward the Elder's third marriage to Eadgifu

Edward the Elder had three marriages, the third of which was to Eadgifu of Kent, also known as Edgiva or Ediva. Eadgifu was the daughter of Sigehelm, Ealdorman of Kent, who was killed at the Battle of the Holme in 902.

Eadgifu first met Edward as a girl when her father allowed the future king to ride her horse during a visit to his estate. Years later, in 917, Eadgifu's neighbour Goda murdered her father and claimed the lands she had inherited from him. Eadgifu went to King Edward's court to demand revenge, and Edward, who gradually recalled her from his youth, agreed to help. He returned her land and had Goda face justice. He invited Eadgifu to stay with him, taking her as his mistress while he was still married to his second wife, Queen Aelfflaed. Eadgifu became Edward's third wife around 919, after he cast Aelfflaed aside.

Eadgifu and Edward had two sons, Edmund I and Eadred, who both went on to become kings, and two daughters, Saint Eadburh of Winchester and Eadgifu. Eadgifu survived Edward by many years, dying during the reign of her grandson Edgar.

Edward the Elder's succession to the throne

Edward the Elder was born in the 870s and was the son of Alfred the Great and his wife, Ealhswith. As the eldest son, Edward's succession to the throne was not guaranteed, and he had cousins with a strong claim to the throne.

Edward's father, Alfred, did everything he could to ensure his son's inheritance. He promoted men who would support Edward and had him accompany him on royal journeys, where he witnessed many of Alfred's charters. Alfred also gave Edward military commands, and in 893, Edward led an army against the Vikings at the Battle of Farnham.

In about 893, Edward married Ecgwynn, with whom he had two children: a son, Æthelstan, and a daughter, who married Sihtric, the Viking King of Northumbria. Ecgwynn probably died around 899, and shortly after, Edward married for a second time, to Ælfflæd, the daughter of an ealdorman of Wiltshire.

Alfred the Great died on 26 October 899, and Edward succeeded to the throne, taking the title of King of the Anglo-Saxons. However, his cousin, Æthelwold, disputed the succession, seizing royal estates in Dorset. Edward marched his army to nearby Badbury Rings, but Æthelwold fled in the night to Northumbria, where the Danes accepted him as king. Æthelwold returned to Wessex in 901 with a fleet and an army, and the two sides gained and lost territory for a year until Æthelwold was killed at the Battle of the Holme in 902, ending the threat to Edward's throne.

Edward was crowned on 8 June 900 at Kingston upon Thames. In the following years, he continued to face threats from the Danes and Vikings, and in 910, he inflicted a decisive defeat on an invading Northumbrian army, ending the threat from the northern Vikings. With the help of his sister, Æthelflæd, Edward conquered Viking-ruled southern England, and by the end of the 910s, he ruled Wessex, Mercia, and East Anglia.

Edward died at Farndon, near Chester, in 924, of wounds sustained while quelling a Mercian and Welsh revolt. He was buried in the New Minster at Winchester and was succeeded by his son, Æthelstan.

Edward the Elder's legacy

Edward's legacy as king is largely focused on his military successes and his role in laying the foundations of medieval England. He ruled an expanding territory in southern England for a quarter of a century, successfully pushing back the Danish Vikings and bringing much of England under his rule. By the end of his reign, he ruled Wessex, Mercia, and East Anglia, with only Northumbria remaining under Viking control. Edward's military campaigns were aided by his sister, Æthelflæd, who ruled the Mercians and led her own army. Together, they constructed fortresses and pushed back the Vikings, with Edward ultimately being seen as destroying the power of the Vikings in southern England.

Beyond his military successes, Edward also played a significant role in organising the political structure of England. He helped to organise the country into shires, which were administered by shire-reeves and regional courts, and implemented a centralised royal system of taxation. Additionally, he is credited with introducing the practice of trial by ordeal, making it the only remedy for a proven charge of perjury.

Edward also had a significant impact on the religious and cultural landscape of England. He founded the New Minster monastery beside Winchester Cathedral, which was likely intended as a royal mausoleum. He also moved the bodies of his parents to the New Minster and buried several of his family members there, including himself. Edward's foundation is thought to have been motivated by his disagreement with the monks and bishop of the Old Minster.

In terms of learning and culture, Edward's reign saw a decline in the standard of Anglo-Saxon learning. However, he did commission several large-scale embroideries, which are the only surviving examples from this period in Anglo-Saxon England. These were commissioned as a gift for the Bishop of Winchester but were ultimately donated to the shrine of St Cuthbert by Edward's son, Æthelstan.

Overall, Edward the Elder's legacy is that of a highly successful military leader who played a crucial role in shaping the political and religious landscape of England. Despite being overlooked by historians for many years, he is now recognised as a key figure in the development of a united and centralised English kingdom.

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