The Royal Women Who Made England : The Tenth Century in Saxon England

Throughout the tenth century, England, as it would be recognized today, formed. No longer many Saxon kingdoms, but rather, just England. Yet, this development masks much in the century in which the Viking raiders were seemingly driven from England's shores by Alfred, his children and grandchildren, only to return during the reign of his great, great-grandson, the much-maligned Æthelred II.Not one but two kings would be murdered, others would die at a young age, and a child would be named king on four occasions. Two kings would never marry, and a third would be forcefully divorced from his wife. Yet, the development towards ‘England'did not stop. At no point did it truly fracture back into its constituent parts. Who then ensured this stability? To whom did the witan turn when kings died, and children were raised to the kingship?The royal woman of the House of Wessex came into prominence during the century, perhaps the most well-known being Æthelflæd, daughter of King Alfred. Perhaps the most maligned being Ælfthryth (Elfrida), accused of murdering her stepson to clear the path to the kingdom for her son, Æthelred II, but there were many more women, rich and powerful in their own right, where their names and landholdings can be traced in the scant historical record.Using contemporary source material, The Royal Women Who Made England can be plucked from the obscurity that has seen their names and deeds lost, even within a generation of their own lives. Throughout the tenth century, England, as it would be recognised today, formed. No longer many Saxon kingdoms, but rather, just England. Yet, this development masks much in the century in which the Viking raiders were seemingly driven from Englands shores by Alfred, his children and grandchildren, only to return during the reign of his great, great-grandson, the much-maligned thelred II. Not one but two kings would be murdered, others would die at a young age, and a child would be named king on four occasions. Two kings would never marry, and a third would be forcefully divorced from his wife. Yet, the development towards England did not stop. At no point did it truly fracture back into its constituent parts. Who then ensured this stability? To whom did the witan turn when kings died, and children were raised to the kingship? The royal woman of the House of Wessex came into prominence during the century, perhaps the most well-known being thelfld, daughter of King Alfred. Perhaps the most maligned being lfthryth (Elfrida), accused of murdering her stepson to clear the path to the kingdom for her son, thelred II, but there were many more women, rich and powerful in their own right, where their names and landholdings can be traced in the scant historical record. Using contemporary source material, The Royal Women Who Made England can be plucked from the obscurity that has seen their names and deeds lost, even within a generation of their own lives. Biographies, Autobiographies & Memoirs / Royalty Cover 1 Book Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Introduction 7 Family Tree: Kings of Wessex, The Anglo-Saxons, and England (The House of Wessex) 10 Chapter 1 The Long Tenth Century and its Kings 12 Chapter 2 The Royal Women 20 Chapter 3 The Mercian Royal Women 24 Chapter 4 The Wives of Edward the Elder 45 Chapter 5 The Religious 65 Chapter 6 English Wives 72 Chapter 7 The Continental Connection 99 Chapter 8 The First Wife and the Daughters of Æthelred II 118 Chapter 9 Women in Law 120 Plates 131 Chapter 10 The Written Record 139 Chapter 11 The Royal Women of the Long Tenth Century 158 Chapter 12 Conclusion 192 Biographical Details 195 Appendix I Charters attested by Eadgifu 200 Appendix II Charters attested by Elfrida 203 Appendix III The House of Wessex in the Tenth Century 205 Appendix IV The Marriages of Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons 899–924 206 Bibliography 207 Endnotes 212 Index 246 Back Cover 258