Biography of Edward "The Exile" Wessex 1016-1057

Paternal Family Tree: Wessex

1016 Death of King Æthelred "Unready"

1016 Death of King Edmund Ironside

In 1015 [his father] King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 25) and [his mother] Ealdgyth Unknown were married. He the son of King Æthelred "Unready" II of England (age 49) and Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England.

In 1016 Edward "The Exile" Wessex was born to King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) and Ealdgyth Unknown.

Death of King Æthelred "Unready"

On 23 Apr 1016 [his grandfather] King Æthelred "Unready" II of England (age 50) died. His son [his father] King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) succeeded I King England although tthe Witan meeting at Southampton chose King Canute of England (age 21).

Death of King Edmund Ironside

On 30 Nov 1016 [his father] King Edmund "Ironside" I of England (age 26) died. The cause of death is unknown. Some chroniclers describe murder, some describe wounds from battle. He was buried near his grandfather King Edgar "Peaceful" I of England in Glastonbury Abbey [Map].

In or before 1045 Edward "The Exile" Wessex (age 29) and Agatha were married. He the son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England and Ealdgyth Unknown.

Around 1045 [his daughter] Margaret Wessex Queen Consort Scotland was born to Edward "The Exile" Wessex (age 29) and [his wife] Agatha.

Around 1051 [his son] Edgar Ætheling II King England was born to Edward "The Exile" Wessex (age 35) and [his wife] Agatha at Hungary. His sobriquet Ætheling means Prince.

John of Worcester. 17 Jul 1054. The same year, on the feast of St. Kenelm, the martyr, [17th July], Aldred, bishop of Worcester, instituted Godric as abbot of Winchcombe. The bishop was then sent by the king as ambassador to the emperor, with rich presents; and being received with great honour by him, and also by Heriman, archbishop of Cologne, he remained at his court for a whole year, and in the king's name proposed to the emperor to send envoys to Hungary to bring back Edward (age 38), the king's cousin, son of king Edmund Ironside, and have him conducted to England.

Flowers of History 1057. 1057. [his uncle] Eadward king of England (age 54), being advanced in years, sent Aldred bishop of Worcester into Hungary, and recalled thence Eadward (age 41), son of king Eadmund his brother, with the intention of making him his successor. Eadward came accordingly, with his son [his son] Eadgar (age 6) and his daughters [his daughter] Margaret (age 12) and [his daughter] Christina, but died not long after his arrival in the city of London, leaving the king the charge of his son Eadgar and his daughters before mentioned.

John of Worcester. 1057. Edward the etheling (age 41), son of king Edmund Ironside, accepting the invitation of his uncle, [his uncle] king Edward (age 54), returned to England from Hungary, where he had been exiled many years before. For the king had determined to appoint him his successor and heir to the crown; but he died at London soon after his arrival.

Around 1057 [his daughter] Christina of Wessex was born to Edward "The Exile" Wessex (age 41) and [his wife] Agatha.

On 19 Apr 1057 Edward "The Exile" Wessex (age 41) died.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1067. This summer the child [his son] Edgar (age 16) departed, with his mother [his wife] Agatha, and his two sisters, [his daughter] Margaret (age 22) and [his daughter] Christina (age 10), and Merle-Sweyne, and many good men with them; and came to Scotland under the protection of King Malcolm (age 35), who entertained them all. Then began King Malcolm (age 35) to yearn after the child's sister, Margaret (age 22), to wife; but he and all his men long refused; and she also herself was averse, and said that she would neither have him nor any one else, if the Supreme Power would grant, that she in her maidenhood might please the mighty Lord with a carnal heart, in this short life, in pure continence. The king (age 35), however, earnestly urged her brother (age 16), until he answered Yea. And indeed he durst not otherwise; for they were come into his kingdom. So that then it was fulfilled, as God had long ere foreshowed; and else it could not be; as he himself saith in his gospel: that "not even a sparrow on the ground may fall, without his foreshowing." The prescient Creator wist long before what he of her would have done; for that she should increase the glory of God in this land, lead the king aright from the path of error, bend him and his people together to a better way, and suppress the bad customs which the nation formerly followed: all which she afterwards did. The king (age 35) therefore received her, though it was against her will, and was pleased with her manners, and thanked God, who in his might had given him such a match. He wisely bethought himself, as he was a prudent man, and turned himself to God, and renounced all impurity; accordingly, as the apostle Paul, the teacher of all the gentries, saith: "Salvabitur vir infidelis per mulierem fidelem; sic et mulier infidelis per virum fidelem," etc.: that is in our language, "Full oft the unbelieving husband is sanctified and healed through the believing wife, and so belike the wife through the believing husband." This queen (age 22) aforesaid performed afterwards many useful deeds in this land to the glory of God, and also in her royal estate she well conducted herself, as her nature was. Of a faithful and noble kin was she sprung. Her father was Edward Etheling, son of King Edmund. Edmund was the son of Ethelred; Ethelred the son of Edgar; Edgar the son of Edred; and so forth in that royal line: and her maternal kindred goeth to the Emperor Henry, who had the sovereignty over Rome. This year went out Githa, Harold's mother, and the wives of many good men with her, to the Flat-Holm, and there abode some time; and so departed thence over sea to St. Omer's.

Royal Ancestors of Edward "The Exile" Wessex 1016-1057

Kings Wessex: Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Royal Descendants of Edward "The Exile" Wessex 1016-1057

Margaret Wessex Queen Consort Scotland x 1

Edgar Ætheling II King England x 1

Ancestors of Edward "The Exile" Wessex 1016-1057

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edmund I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Sigehelm Earldorman Kent

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons

Great x 1 Grandfather: King Edgar "Peaceful" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England

GrandFather: King Æthelred "Unready" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ordgar Earldorman Devon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Aelfthryth Queen Consort England

Father: King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thored Northumbria

GrandMother: Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England

Edward "The Exile" Wessex

Mother: Ealdgyth Unknown