King Edgar the Peaceful and the Bloody Legacy of His Royal Line
In July 975, King Edgar, known to history as Edgar the Peaceful, died in Winchester at just 33 years old. Despite his short reign, he left behind a lasting mark on English monarchy and a royal legacy filled with intrigue, dynastic rivalry, and political upheaval.
Born in the early 940s, Edgar was the younger son of King Edmund I and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury. After the death of his elder brother Eadwig in 959, Edgar took the throne and ushered in a period of relative internal peace. This wasn’t so much a reflection of his temperament as it was the result of growing central power and stronger control over the earldoms.
Edgar’s reign saw the strengthening of the Church under his advisor Dunstan, who went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury. Monastic reform and the consolidation of royal authority defined the period, and by 973, Edgar the Peaceful and his queen Ælfthryth were crowned in a ceremonial event in Bath that would become the template for future English coronations.
However, Edgar’s personal life was far more complex than his peaceful moniker might suggest. He fathered at least three children by different women. His first wife, Æthelflæd Eneda, gave birth to Edward, later known as Edward the Martyr. Another relationship, reportedly involving the abduction of Wulfthryth from Wilton Abbey, produced a daughter, Edith, who was later canonised. His last and most politically significant marriage was to Ælfthryth, the mother of Æthelred – later remembered as Æthelred the Unready.
When Edgar died, it was Edward, his son by Æthelflæd, who was named king. But it didn’t take long for the stability Edgar had maintained to unravel. At the time of his father’s death, Edward was probably only about thirteen years old and faced immediate challenges from factions loyal to his stepmother Ælfthryth, who favoured her own son, Æthelred.
In 978, just three years after Edgar’s death, Edward was murdered in murky circumstances at Corfe Castle. He had arrived there to visit Ælfthryth and his younger half-brother when he was suddenly set upon and stabbed to death. The motive has never been confirmed, but the suspicion has lingered for over a millennium that Ælfthryth, or at least her allies, may have been behind the killing to clear the way for Æthelred’s rise.
Edward was buried without honour, though his reputation grew in the years that followed. He was eventually canonised, becoming Saint Edward the Martyr, and his murder added a deep layer of mystery and dynastic tension to the royal family’s history.
What followed was no golden age. Æthelred’s reign would be marked by political instability and repeated Viking incursions, for which he became infamous in later tradition. The nickname “Unready” was a mistranslation of the Old English word unræd, meaning “poorly advised”, a label that might speak volumes about the continuing fallout from Edgar’s death and the bitter struggle for succession.
This royal family drama, peaceful king, murdered son, scheming widow, and a legacy of unrest, offers a compelling glimpse into early medieval England. The dynasty would continue, but with the seeds of crisis already sown.
For deeper insight into early English monarchy and the consolidation of royal authority in the 10th century, a detailed study is available through Cambridge University Press’s Anglo-Saxon England journal.
For more stories exploring the roots of British royalty and the real people behind the crown, visit EyeOnLondon and join us in uncovering the past. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments – what do you make of the dynasty of Edgar the Peaceful and the mysteries surrounding his son’s death?
[Image Credit | Historic UK]
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