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Edward the Elder

Edward I (16 June 874 — 17 July 924) nicknamed the Elder or the Great was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 until his death in 924. He was the oldest child of the West Saxon king, Alfred, and his wife, Ealhswith of Mercia. During Edward's reign, Wessex greatly expanded and that England was almost unified, however, Edward died before he could do it.

Edward I
Illustration of Edward from Cassell's History of England, c. 1902
Illustration of Edward from Cassell's History of England, c. 1902
King of the Anglo-Saxons (more...)
Reign 26 October 899 — 17 July 924
Coronation 8 June 900
Predecessor Alfred
Successor Athelstan (or Ælfweard, disputed)
Spouse
Issue
House Wessex
Father Alfred the Great
Mother Ealhswith of Mercia
Religion Roman Catholicism

When Edward became king in 899, he faced a rebellion led by his cousin, Æthelwold, who had believed that he had a better claim to the throne as he was the son of Athelred I, the older brother and predecessor of Edward's father. Edward successfully defeated Æthelwold and his army in 902. After that, Edward continued to rule England effectively until his death in 824. He was succeeded by his oldest child, Athelstan, who continued his father's plan to unify England on which he had successfully did it in 927.

Atheling

Edward was the son of Alfred the Great and Ealhswith.[1] She was a daughter of Ethelred, also called Mucill, Ealdorman of the Gaini.[1] He was born about the year 870.[2] As one of at least three athelings, it was not absolutely certain he would be king after his father.The rules of succession were somewhat flexible at this time. Being the king's son did not guarantee succession. The new king was selected from among the eligible Athelings (sons and grandsons of former kings).[3] Generally an adult heir was preferred over a child heir.[4] His cousin, Aethelwold, was older and was the son of Alfred's older brother Athelred of Wessex.[4] When he was about four years old Edward was sent to Rome. There, in a ceremony, he was given a sword, belt and given the rank of consul.[5] This is one of several things Alfred did to make Edward the first choice among the Athelings who would succeed him as king. By a past agreement Alfred had control of most of the royal estates. He could leave all or some to Edward. In the 880s, Alfred made a will giving most of the royal estates to his son Edward, and left his two nephews only modest lands in the eastern part of the realm. This meant that if Ethelhelm were selected as king over Edward, he might not have enough income to support himself as king.[3]

King of Wessex

Edward ruled from time of his father's death on 26 October, 899. But he wasn't crowned until Whitsunday (8 June) of 900.[a][7] His reign began with his cousin Athelwold, son of King Athelred, seizing the royal manors of Wimborne and Christchurch.[8] When Edward confronted him Athelwold fled. He left behind a nun he had abducted. Athelwold was accepted by the Danes of Northumbria. There he was elected King of York.[9] In 901 Athelwold was in Essex with a fleet he raised over seas.[8] In 902 he convinced a Danish army in East Anglia to raid into Wessex and Mercia with him. In response Edward led his army into East Anglia and destroyed the countryside. Edward ordered his troops to retire back to Wessex, but the Kentish men disobeyed his orders and stayed behind.[10] The Danish army quickly caught up with them. In the battle that followed, Athelwold was killed.[9]

 
An Anglo-Saxon coin brooch (silver), dated c. 920, imitating a coin of Edward the Elder. Discovered in Rome, now in the British Museum.

Edward continued his wars against the Danes.[11] He received a great deal of aid from his sister, Ethelflaeda. She had married Ethelred of Mercia and at his death she became the leader of the Mercians. Together Edward and Ethelflaeda defeated the Danes in numerous battles.[11] But Ethelflaeda also built a line of fortresses on the Mercian Frontier. This was what her father Alfred the Great had done on the Wessex borders with the Danish held territories.[11] Edward began to use these fortresses differently. Not just for defense of his own lands he used them to hold captured lands.[12] Edward and his sister were very successful against the Danes. So much so they quit raiding into Wessex and Mercia.[12] Freed of wars with the Danes, Edward could attend to other issues. He brought Strathclyde and parts of Northumbria under his control. He also brought Mercia under his direct rule after his sister Ethelflaeda died.[12] The appearance of the Viking leader Ragnvald in York slowed his progress. But by the end of his reign he had control of all lands south of the River Humber.[12] In a treaty Ragnvald, the kings of Strathclyde and the Scots recognized his rule.[12]

In 924 Mercian nobles wanting to be free of Edward's rule made an alliance with the Welsh.[13] Edward quickly put down the rebellion and placed a garrison in the town of Chester.[13] But this expedition proved to be his last. Edward died 17 July 924.[13] Before the end of the year his son Athelstan was recognized as the rightful king.[13]

Family

Edward's first wife was Egwina.[14] Together they had:

  • Athelstan (c.893–939), succeeded as King of England.[14]
  • A daughter who married Sihtric Cáoch, Viking king of York.[14]

Edward married secondly, Elfleda, a daughter of Æthelhelm.[14] Together they had:

As his third wife, Edward married Eadgifu, the daughter of Sigehelm.[14] Together they had:

Edward The Elder Media

  • A page from the will of Alfred the Great, headed Testamentum in a later hand, which left the bulk of his estate to Edward

  • Silver penny of Edward the Elder

Notes

  1. ↑ Confusion over the year Alfred died and Edward began his reign comes from how the Anglo-Saxon calendar was different from the modern Gregorian calendar. Since the time of Bede (c. 672–735), the Anglo-Saxon calendar year began on September 24th of the year. Since king Alfred died on 26 October, the chroniclers of that time placed it in the calendar year 900. Whitsunday or 8 June of that year fell within the same twelve-month period. So to the chroniclers 26 October and the following 8 June were both in the year (900). Corrected to our calendar, Alfred died 26 October 899 and Edward was coronated on 8 June 900.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Asser's Life of King Alfred, trans. L.C. Jane (London: Chatto and Windus, 1908), p. 155
  2. ↑ John Cannon; Ralph Griffiths, Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy, Revised Edition (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), p. 656
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Barbara Yorke, 'Edward as Ætheling', Edward the Elder, 899-924, eds. N. J. Higham; D. H. Hill (London; New York: Routledge, 2001), p. 30
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Barbara Yorke, 'Edward as Ætheling', Edward the Elder, 899-924, eds. N. J. Higham; D. H. Hill (London; New York: Routledge, 2001), p. 25
  5. ↑ Barbara Yorke, 'Edward as Ætheling', Edward the Elder, 899-924, eds. N. J. Higham; D. H. Hill (London; New York: Routledge, 2001), p. 29
  6. ↑ Murray L. R. Beaven, 'The Regnal Dates of Alfred, Edward the Elder, and Athelstan', The English Historical Review, Vol. 32, No. 128 (Oct., 1917), pp. 530-31
  7. ↑ Murray L. R. Beaven, 'The Regnal Dates of Alfred, Edward the Elder, and Athelstan', The English Historical Review, Vol. 32, No. 128 (Oct., 1917), p. 530
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Frank Stenton, Anglo Saxon-England (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 321
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 W. S. Angus, 'The Chronology of the Reign of Edward the Elder', The English Historical Review, Vol. 53, No. 210 (Apr., 1938), p. 194
  10. ↑ Frank Stenton, Anglo Saxon-England (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 322
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster, A History of England, Third Edition (London; New York: Cassell & Co., Ltd., 1899), p. 66
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 W. S. Angus, 'The Chronology of the Reign of Edward the Elder', The English Historical Review, Vol. 53, No. 210 (Apr., 1938), p. 195
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Frank Stenton, Anglo Saxon-England (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 339
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 78

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