Biography of King Eadred I of England -955

Paternal Family Tree: Wessex

946 Death of King Edmund

955 Death of King Eadred

Death of King Edmund

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 26 May 946. This year [his brother] King Edmund (age 25) died, on St. Augustine's mass day. That was widely known, how he ended his days: that Leof stabbed him at Pucklechurch. And Ethelfleda of Damerham, daughter of Alderman Elgar, was then his queen. And he reigned six years and a half: and then succeeded to the kingdom Edred Atheling his brother, who soon after reduced all the land of the Northumbrians to his dominion; and the Scots gave him oaths, that they would do all that he desired.

On 26 May 946 [his brother] King Edmund I of England (age 25) was murdered by Leofa, an exiled thief, whilst attending mass at Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire. He was buried at Glastonbury Abbey [Map]. His brother King Eadred I of England succeeded I King England.

In 947 King Eadred I of England accepted the allegiance of the Northumbrians and Archbishop Wulfstan. The earliest burials are dated to 700AD.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 947. This year came King Edred to Tadden's-cliff; and there Archbishop Wulfstan and all the council of the Northumbrians bound themselves to an allegiance with the king. And within a little space they abandoned all, both allegiance and oaths.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 948. This year King Edred overran all Northumberland; because they had taken Eric for their king; and in the pursuit of plunder was that large minster at Rippon [Map] set on fire, which St. Wilferth built. As the king returned homeward, he overtook the enemy at York; but his main army was behind at Chesterford. There was great slaughter made; and the king was so wroth, that he would fain return with his force, and lay waste the land withal; but when the council of the Northumbrians understood that, they then abandoned Eric, and compromised the deed with King Edred.

In 949 King Eadred I of England by a charter granted land to Uhtred, younger son of the Earl of Northumbria, to provide income to establish a Minster church at All Saint's Church, Bakewell, Derbyshire [Map].

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 952. This year the Northumbrians expelled King Anlaf (age 25), and received Eric the son of Harold. This year also King Edred ordered Archbishop Wulfstan to be brought into prison at Jedburgh; because he was oft bewrayed before the king: and the same year the king ordered a great slaughter to be made in the town of Thetford, Norfolk [Map], in revenge of the abbot, whom they had formerly slain.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 954. This year the Northumbrians expelled Eric; and King Edred took to the government of the Northumbrians. This year also Archbishop Wulfstan received a bishopric again at Dorchester [Map].

Death of King Eadred

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 955. This year died King Edred, on St. Clement's mass day, at Frome.41 He reigned nine years and a half; and he rests in the old minster. Then succeeded Edwy, the son of King Edmund, to the government of the West-Saxons; and Edgar Atheling (age 12), his brother, succeeded to the government of the Mercians. They were the sons of [his brother] King Edmund and of St. Elfgiva.

Note 41. So I understand the word. Gibson, from Wheloc, says-"in aetatis vigore;" a fact contradicted by the statement of almost every historian. Names of places seldom occur in old MSS. with capital initials.

On 23 Nov 955 King Eadred I of England died. His nephew King Eadwig I of England succeeded I King England.

Chronicle of Athelward Chapter 7. 23 Nov 955. Edmund's successor was Edred his brother, to whom all the Northumbrians became subject; and the Scots also give oaths of allegiance and immutable fidelity. Not long after these things he also departed in peace, on the birthday of the blessed pope and martyr Clement. He had held the kingdom nine years and half.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 970. This year died Archbishop Oskytel; who was first consecrated diocesan bishop at Dorchester, and afterwards it was by the consent of King Edred and all his council that he was consecrated Archbishop of York. He was bishop two and twenty winters; and he died on Alhallow-mas night, ten nights before Martinmas, at Thame. Abbot Thurkytel, his relative, carried the bishop's body to Bedford [Map], because he was the abbot there at that time.

John of Worcester. 24 Jun 1070. The feast of St. John the Baptist being near, earl Asbiorn sailed to Denmark with the fleet which had wintered in the Humber; but his brother Sweyn (age 51) outlawed him, because he had accepted money from king William (age 42), to the great regret of the Danes. Edric, surnamed the Forester, a man of the most resolute courage, of whom we have spoken before, was reconciled with king William. After this, the king summoned from Normandy Lanfranc (age 65), abbot of Caen, a Lombard by birth, a man of unbounded learning, master of the liberal arts, and of both sacred and secular literature, and of the greatest prudence in counsel and the administration of worldly affairs; and on the day of the Assumption of St. Mary, appointed him archbishop of Canterbury, causing him to be consecrated at Canterbury on the feast of St. John the Baptist, being Sunday. He was consecrated by Giso, bishop of Wells, and Walter, bishop of Hereford, who were both ordained at Rome by pope Nicholas, when Aldred, archbishop of York, received the pallium,—for he evaded being ordained by Stigand, who then held the archbishopric of Canterbury, knowing him not to have received the pallium canonically. Bishop Heriman, who had already transferred the seat of his bishopric from Sherbourne to Salisbury, also assisted at his consecration, with some others. Afterwards, Lanfranc consecrated Thomas, archbishop of York. The suit of the reverend Wulfstan (age 62), bishop of Worcester, was again prosecuted, there being now a bishop who could advocate the cause of the church of York; and the affair was, by the aid of God's grace, decided at a council held at a place called Pedred, before the king, archbishop Lanfranc, and the bishops, abbots, earls, and lords of all England. All the groundless assertions by which Thomas and his abettors strove to humble the church of Worcester, and reduce her to subjection and servitude to the church of York, were, by God's just judgement, entirely refuted and negatived by written documents, so that Wulfstan not only recovered the possessions he claimed, but, by God's goodness, and the king's assent, regained for his see all the immunities and privileges freely granted to it by its first founders, the holy king Ethered, Oshere, sub-king of the Hwiccas, and the other kings of Mercia, Cenred, Ethelbald, Offa, Kenulf, [his father] Edward the Elder, [his half-brother] Athelstan, [his brother] Edmund, Edred, and Edgar.

King Eadred I of England -955 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex 849-899

Royal Ancestors of King Eadred I of England -955

Kings Wessex: Son of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Ancestors of King Eadred I of England -955

Great x 4 Grandfather: Eafa Wessex

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ealmund King of Kent

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Egbert of Wessex

Great x 1 Grandfather: King Æthelwulf of Wessex

GrandFather: King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex

Great x 2 Grandfather: Oslac

Great x 1 Grandmother: Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex

Father: King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Great x 1 Grandfather: Æthelred Mucel Mercia Earldorman Gaini

GrandMother: Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eadburh of Mercia

King Eadred I of England

GrandFather: Sigehelm Earldorman Kent

Mother: Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons