Biography of Aelfthryth Queen Consort England 945-1002

959 Death of King Eadwig

973 Coronation of King Edgar Peaceful

975 Death of King Edgar Peaceful

978 Murder of King Edward the Martyr

1016 Death of King Edmund Ironside

Around 945 Aelfthryth Queen Consort England was born to Ordgar Earldorman Devon.

Death of King Eadwig

On 01 Oct 959 King Eadwig I of England died. He was buried at Winchester, Hampshire [Map]. His brother [her future husband] King Edgar I of England (age 16) succeeded I King England.

Before 962 Æthelwald Ealdorman of East Anglia and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 16) were married.

Around 962 King Edgar I of England (age 19) and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 17) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of King Edmund I of England and Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England.

In 962 [her husband] Æthelwald Ealdorman of East Anglia was killed by [her husband] King Edgar I of England (age 19). King Edgar I of England had previously sent Æthelwald Ealdorman of East Anglia to Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 17) to offer her marriage to King Edgar I of England. Æthelwald decided to marry Aelfthryth Queen Consort England himself. King Edgar I of England sought revenge, killed Æthelwald and married Aelfthryth Queen Consort England. The story subject to much debate among historians.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 965. This year [her husband] King Edgar (age 22) took Elfrida (age 20) for his queen, who was daughter of Alderman Ordgar.

Around 966 [her son] King Æthelred II of England was born to [her husband] King Edgar I of England (age 23) and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 21).

Around 966 [her son] Edmund Ætheling was born to [her husband] King Edgar I of England (age 23) and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 21).

Coronation of King Edgar Peaceful

In 973 [her husband] King Edgar I of England (age 30) was crowned In Bath, Somerset [Map]. The service forms the basis of the present English Coronation ceremony.

Chronicle of English Kings Book 2 Chapter 9. 975In the year of our Lord 975, [her illegitimate step-son] Edward (age 13) the son of [her husband] Edgar (age 32) began to reign, and enjoyed the sovereignty for three years and a half. Dunstan (age 66), in common consent with the other bishops, elevated him to the royal dignity, in opposition, as it is said, to the will of some of the nobility, and of his stepmother (age 30); who was anxious to advance her son [her son] Ethelred (age 9), a child scarcely seven years of age, in order that herself might govern under colour of his name. Then, from the increasing malice of men, the happiness of the kingdom was impaired; then too, comets were seen, which were asserted certainly to portend either pestilence to the inhabitants, or a change in the government. Nor was it long ere there followed a scarcity of corn; famine among men; murrain among cattle; and an extraordinary accident at a royal town called Calne. For as soon as Edgar was dead, the secular canons who had been for some time expelled their monasteries, rekindled the former feuds, alleging, that it was a great and serious disgrace, for new comers to drive the ancient inmates from their dwellings; that it could not be esteemed grateful to God, who had granted them their ancient habitations: neither could it be so to any considerate man, who might dread that injustice as likely to befall himself, which he had seen overtake others. Hence they proceeded to clamour and rage, and hastened to Dunstan; the principal people, as is the custom of the laity, exclaiming more especially, that the injury which the canons had wrongfully suffered, ought to be redressed by gentler measures. Moreover, one of them, Elferius, with more than common audacity, had even overturned almost all the monasteries which that highly revered monk Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester (age 71), had built throughout Mercia. On this account a full synod being convened, they first assembled at Winchester. What was the issue of the contest of that place, other writings declare;1 relating, that the image of our Saviour, speaking decidedly, confounded the canons and their party. But men's minds being not yet at rest on the subject, a council was called at Calne; where, when all the senators of England, the king being absent on account of his youth, had assembled in an upper chamber, and the business was agitated with much animosity and debate; while the weapons of harsh reproach were directed against that firmest bulwark of the church, I mean Dunstan, but could not shake it; and men of every rank were earnestly defending their several sides of the question; the floor with its beams and supporters gave way suddenly and fell to the ground. All fell with it except Dunstan, who alone escaped unhurt by standing on a single rafter which retained its position: the rest were either killed, or subjected to lasting infirmity. This miracle procured the archbishop peace on the score of the canons; all the English, both at that time and afterwards, yielding to his sentiments.

Note 1. When the question was agitated, whether the monks should be supported or the canons restored, the crucifix is said to have exclaimed, "Far be it from you: you have done well; to change again would be wrong". See Edmer, and Osberne, Angl. Sacra, ii. 219, 112.

Death of King Edgar Peaceful

On 08 Jul 975 [her husband] King Edgar I of England (age 32) died at Winchester, Hampshire [Map]. He was buried in Glastonbury Abbey [Map]. His son [her illegitimate step-son] King Edward I of England (age 13) succeeded I King England.

Murder of King Edward the Martyr

Florence of Worcester. 18 Mar 978. [her illegitimate step-son] Edward, king of England (age 16), was foully murdered at Corvesireate [Map], at the instigations of his step-mother, queen Elfthritha (age 33), and was buried at Wareham [Map] without royal pomp.

Chronicle of English Kings Book 2 Chapter 9. 18 Mar 978. Meanwhile [her illegitimate step-son] king Edward (age 16) conducted himself with becoming affection to his [her son] infant brother (age 12) and his step-mother (age 33); he retained only the name of king, and gave them the power; following the footsteps of his [her former husband] father's piety, and giving both his attention and his heart to good council. The woman, however, with that hatred which a step-mother only can entertain, began to meditate a subtle stratagem, in order that not even the title of king might be wanting to her child, and to lay a treacherous snare for her son-in-law [step-son], which she accomplished in the following manner. He was returning home, tired with the chase and gasping with thirst from the exercise, while his companions were following the dogs in different directions as it happened, when hearing that they dwelt in a neighbouring mansion, the youth proceeded thither at full speed, unattended and unsuspecting, as he judged of others by his own feelings. On his arrival, alluring him to her with female blandishment, she made him lean forward, and after saluting him while he was eagerly drinking from the cup which had been presented, the dagger of an attendant pierced him through. Dreadfully wounded, with all his remaining strength he clapped spurs to his horse in order to join his companions; when one foot slipping, he was dragged by the other through the trackless paths and recesses of the wood, while the streaming blood gave evidence of his death to his followers. Moreover, they then commanded him to be ingloriously interred at Wareham; envying him even holy ground when dead, as they had envied him his royal dignity while living. They now publicly manifested their extreme joy as if they had buried his memory with his body; but God's all-seeing eye was there, who ennobled the innocent victim by the glory of miracles. So much is human outweighed by heavenly judgment. For there lights were shown from above; there the lame walked; there the dumb resumed his fticulty of speech; there every malady gave way to health. The fame of this pervading all England, proclaimed the merits of the martyr. The murderess excited by it, attempted a progress thither; and was already urging forward the horse slie had mounted, when she perceived the manifest anger of God; for the same creature which she had heretofore constantly ridden, and which was used to outstrip the very wind in speed, now by command of God, stood motionless. The attendants, both with whips and clamours, urged him forward that he might carry his noble mistress with his usual readiness; but their labour was in vain. They changed the horse; and the same circumstance recurred. Her obdurate heart, though late, perceived the meaning of the miracle; wherefore, what she was not herself permitted to do, she suffered to be performed by another: for that Elferius, whom I before blamed for destroying the monasteries, repenting of his rashness, and being deeply distressed in mind, took up the sacred corpse from its unworthy burial-place, and paid it just and distinguished honours at Shaftesbury [Map]. He did not escape unpunished, however, for, within a year afterwards, he was eaten of the vermin which we call lice. Moreover, since a mind unregulated is a torment to itself, and a restless spirit endures its own peculiar punishment in this life, Elfthrida declining from her regal pride, became extremely penitent; so that at Werewell [Map], for many years, she clothed her pampered body in hair-cloth, slept at night upon the ground without a pillow; and mortified her flesh with every kind of penance. She was a beautiful woman; singularly faithful to her husband; but deserving punishment from the commission of so great a crime. It is believed and commonly reported, that from her violence to Edward, the country for a long time after groaned under the yoke of barbarian servitude.

On 18 Mar 978 [her illegitimate step-son] King Edward I of England (age 16) was murdered at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map] when visiting his younger half-brother [her son] Æthelred (age 12) and his [Æthelred's] mother Aelfthryth (age 33). He was buried in Wareham, Dorset [Map] without ceremony. His half brother King Æthelred II of England succeeded II King England.

Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire [Map] was a Benedictine Nunnery founded around 979 by Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 34).

Around 985 [her son] King Æthelred II of England (age 19) and [her daughter-in-law] Aelfgifu of York Queen Consort England were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of [her former husband] King Edgar I of England and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 40).

986. The Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell [Map] was founded about 986 by Elfrida (age 41), the widow of [her former husband] King Edgar, in expiation for her part in the murders of her first husband Ethelwolf and of her son-in-law [her illegitimate step-son] King Edward. Here she spent the latter part of her life in penitence, and here she was buried.

In 1002 [her son] King Æthelred II of England (age 36) and [her daughter-in-law] Emma aka Ælfgyfu of Normandy Queen Consort England (age 17) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. She the daughter of Richard "Fearless" Normandy I Duke Normandy and Gunnora Countess Ponthieu. He the son of [her former husband] King Edgar I of England and Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 57).

In 17 Nov 1002 Aelfthryth Queen Consort England (age 57) died.

Death of King Edmund Ironside

On 30 Nov 1016 [her grandson] 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 [her former husband] King Edgar I of England in Glastonbury Abbey [Map].

Royal Descendants of Aelfthryth Queen Consort England 945-1002

King Æthelred II of England