alfred the last kingdom daughter

Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians (c. 870 – 12 June 918) ruled Mercia in the English Midlands from 911 until her death. In early 918, Æthelflæd gained possession of Leicester without opposition and most of the local Danish army submitted to her. Edward the Elder, brother of Æthelflæd and ruler of Wessex (and indeed of all Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England). [80] In Wainwright's view, she was ignored in West Saxon sources for fear that recognition of her achievements would encourage Mercian separatism: [Æthelflæd] played a vital role in England in the first quarter of the tenth century. In 918 Leicester surrendered without a fight. But Guthrum did not keep the deal, he killed his Saxon hostages and moved to Exeter, leaving the Viking ships at Wareham. [39] The Mercian rulers built a new minster in Gloucester and, although the building was small, it was embellished on a grand scale, with rich sculpture. In 913 she built forts at Tamworth to guard against the Danes in Leicester, and in Stafford to cover access from the Trent Valley. [25] In 901 Æthelflæd and Æthelred gave land and a golden chalice weighing thirty mancuses to the shrine of Saint Mildburg at Much Wenlock church. Once inside the city walls, the gates would close and the pursuing Vikings would be slaughtered by an army hiding inside. 28 April 2020. by Louisa Mellor. The Norse Vikings then joined with the Danes in an attack on Chester, but this failed because Æthelflæd had fortified the town, and she and her husband persuaded the Irish among the attackers to change sides. Pious, haughty, and acerbic, she is an unpopular figure in Alfred’s court. [35] After Æthelflæd's death, Edward encountered fierce resistance to his efforts to consolidate his control of the north-west and he died there in 924, shortly after suppressing a local rebellion. Both sides claimed victory but Ragnall was able to establish himself as ruler of Northumbria. Æthelflæd witnessed charters of Æthelred in 888, 889 and 896. The Last Kingdom is the first historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2004. In the mid-880s, Alfred sealed the strategic alliance between the surviving English kingdoms by marrying Æthelflæd to Æthelred. Only then did Mercia's independent existence come to an end.[79]. [12][18], Æthelred's descent is unknown. The series follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg … "[9] She was praised by Anglo-Norman chroniclers such as William of Malmesbury and John of Worcester[10] and she has received more attention from historians than any other secular woman in Anglo-Saxon England. Æthelflæd was succeeded by her daughter Ælfwynn, but in December Edward took personal control of Mercia and carried Ælfwynn off to Wessex. Thankfully, she was looked after by … He commented: "It was through reliance on her guardianship of Mercia that her brother was enabled to begin the forward movement against the southern Danes which is the outstanding feature of his reign". Historians consider this unlikely, but she may have sent a contingent to the battle. Edward had succeeded as King of the Anglo-Saxons in 899, and in 909 he sent a West Saxon and Mercian force to raid the northern Danelaw. Alfred adopted the title King of the English, claiming to rule all English people not living in areas under Viking control. became ruler of western Mercia in 882, he decided to try and retake control over his lands. For other people called Æthelflæd, see, 9th and 10th-century ruler of Mercia in England. [38] The remains of the royal Northumbrian saint Oswald were seized and taken from his resting place in Bardney Abbey in Lincolnshire to Gloucester. Her mother was Ealhswith, who was from the ruling family of Mercia. Within a few years, Æthelred and Æthelflæd had their first and only child whom they called Ælfwynn. Æthelwold joined forces with the Vikings when he was unable to get sufficient support in Wessex, and his rebellion only ended with his death in battle in December 902. Updated July 29, 2019. When Aethelflaed ( Millie Brady) was a teenager, her parents betrothed her to the self-styled king of Mercia, Lord Aethelred ( Toby Regbo ). Æthelflæd agreed and for some time they were peaceful. Wikidata Q59649817. A building suitable for a royal mausoleum has been found by archaeological investigation at the east end of the church and this may have been St Oswald's burial place. [11], Æthelflæd was born around 870, the oldest child of King Alfred the Great and his Mercian wife, Ealhswith, who was a daughter of Æthelred Mucel, ealdorman of the Gaini, one of the tribes of Mercia. [a] Information about Æthelflæd's career is also preserved in the Irish chronicle known as the Three Fragments. [22] Mercian scholarship had high prestige at the courts of Alfred and Edward. [12] According to the Mercian Register, Æthelflæd was buried in the east porticus. •Thank goodness Thyra survived: I don’t think I would have coped if the wonderful Father Beocca had been plunged into mourning. He claimed that she declined to have sex after the birth of her only child because it was "unbecoming of the daughter of a king to give way to a delight which, after a time, produced such painful consequences". The Lady of the Mercians had made herself both feared and respected. The updated content was reintegrated into the Wikipedia page under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 license (2018). She was the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great, king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and his wife Ealhswith. [46] Saintly relics were believed to give supernatural legitimacy to rulers' authority, and Æthelflæd was probably responsible for the foundation or re-foundation of Chester Minster and the transfer to it of the remains of the seventh-century Mercian princess Saint Werburgh from Hanbury in Staffordshire. [34] Simon Ward, who excavated an Anglo-Saxon site in Chester, sees the later prosperity of the town as owing much to the planning of Æthelflæd and Edward. [41] It was initially dedicated to St Peter but when Oswald's remains were brought to Gloucester in 909, Æthelflæd had them translated from Bardney to the new minster, which was renamed St Oswald's in his honour. [1], In 865 the Viking Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia and used this as a starting point for an invasion. Although little is known about this period in time, it is thought that Æthelred turned to his Anglo-Saxon neighbour to the south (Alfred of Wessex) to ask for assistance in regaining his kingdom. Uhtred, meanwhile, realises now might be the time to challenge his uncle Aelfric for his … [28], Æthelred's health probably declined at some stage in the decade after Alfred died in 899, and Æthelflæd may have become the de facto ruler of Mercia by 902. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. [33] Æthelflæd re-founded Chester as a burh and she is believed to have enhanced its Roman defences by running walls from the north-west and south-east corners of the fort to the River Dee. Aethelflaed (Ethelfleda) was the eldest child and daughter of Alfred the Great and sister of Edward "the Elder," king of Wessex (ruled 899-924). To the popular imagination, she is the archetypal warrior queen, a Medieval Boudicca, renowned for her heroic struggle against the Danes and her independent rule of the Saxon Kingdom … Æthelflæd, eldest daughter of Alfred the Great, has gone down in history as an enigmatic and almost legendary figure. Discover the monarchs of the kingdom of Mercia, from King Icel in the early 500’s all the way through to Ælfwynn who annexed the kingdom to Wessex in 918. Hostage Chapter 1: Aethelflaed, a last kingdom fanfic | FanFiction. Mercia was the dominant kingdom in southern England in the eighth century and maintained its position until it suffered a decisive defeat by Wessex at the Battle of Ellandun in 825. In 883 he made a grant with the consent of King Alfred, thus acknowledging Alfred's lordship. The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels. The eldest child of the King Alfred of Wessex, Æthelflæd was thought to have been a strong, independent and well educated lady. '. She may also have translated the relics of the martyred Northumbrian prince Ealhmund from Derby to Shrewsbury. 5621230. Concerned about any future Mercian uprisings, the exiled Ælfwynn was quickly ‘persuaded’ by her uncle to keep a low profile and consequently lived the rest of her life in a nunnery! 'Father ... oh, Father! In the Handbook of British Chronology, David Dumville refers to "Q. Æthelflæd" and comments, "The titles given her by all sources (hlæfdige, regina) imply that she wielded royal power and authority". Den of Geek. Æthelred's health probably declined early in the next decade, after which it is likely that Æthelflæd was mainly responsible for the government of Mercia. He argues that King Edward was anxious not to encourage Mercian separatism and did not wish to publicise his sister's accomplishments, in case she became a symbol of Mercian claims. As a sign of his gratitude, Æthelred agreed to sign an alliance with Alfred, a pact that effectively forced Mercia to acknowledge Wessex as the dominant Anglo-Saxon power in central and southern England. Among the towns where she built defences were Wednesbury, Bridgnorth, Tamworth, Stafford, Warwick, Chirbury and Runcorn. He may have been misinformed about the position but it is also possible that the tombs were moved from their prestigious position next to the saint, when the couple became less known over time or when tenth-century kings acted to minimise the honour paid to their Mercian predecessors. Portrait of Alfred the Great, Samuel Woodforde (1763-1817). As the rights of lordship had previously belonged fully to the church, this represented the beginning of transfer from episcopal to secular control of the city. Ealhswith and Alfred had five children who survived and she may have had other children who died in infancy. In Mercia, Alfred's sister Æthelswith had been the wife of King Burgred of Mercia; she had witnessed charters as queen and had made grants jointly with her husband and in her own name. ISSN 2639-5347. Thereafter the two kingdoms became allies, which was to be an important factor in English resistance to the Vikings. [42] Simon Keynes describes the town as "the main seat of their power" and Carolyn Heighway believes that the foundation of the church was probably a family and dynastic enterprise, encouraged by Alfred and supported by Edward and Bishop Werferth. [23] Worcester was able to preserve considerable intellectual and liturgical continuity and, with Gloucester, became the centre of a Mercian revival under Æthelred and Æthelflæd that extended into the more unstable areas of Staffordshire and Cheshire. In 909 Edward sent a West Saxon and Mercian force to the northern Danelaw, where it raided for five weeks. Stafford sees her as a "warrior queen", "Like ... Elizabeth I she became a wonder to later ages. A formidable and infamous Danish warlord, Earl Ragnar is fearless, charming, and a natural leader, and doesn't hesitate to take Uhtred under his wing. Alfred the Great was indeed King of Wessex from 871 to 899. Even though the books and series are fictional, there are many aspects rooted in real milestones of British history. In 886 Alfred occupied the Mercian town of London, which had been in Viking hands. He is the father of Aelflaed, King Edward’s wife, and initially before the marriage Aelswith was really eager to have him and his daughter be part of … Alfred succeeded his brother Aethelred as King of Wessex in 871. This story introduces Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born a Saxon but kidnapped by Danes at age 10. He was described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as "a foolish king's thegn" who was a puppet of the Vikings. [83], In June 2018, Æthelflæd's funeral was re-enacted in front of a crowd of 10,000 people in Gloucester, as part of a series of living history events marking the 1,100th anniversary of her death. King Alfred, played on the show by David Dawson, was a real guy. [82] Ryan believes that the Mercian rulers "had a considerable but ultimately subordinate share of royal authority".[66]. Copyright © Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. Alfred the Great is dead, as is his ever-conniving nephew Aethelwold; Alfred’s son Edward the Elder sits on the throne of Wessex; his daughter Aethelflaed is wed to the ruler of Mercia; and the Danes, led by Haesten and Cnut (not Cnut the Great – he won’t be born for another hundred years), sense opportunity. Wainwright sees Æthelflæd as willingly accepting a subordinate role in a partnership with her brother and agreeing to his plan of unification of Wessex and Mercia under his rule. In Keynes's view, "the conclusion seems inescapable that the Alfredian polity of the kingship 'of the Anglo-Saxons' persisted in the first quarter of the tenth century, and that the Mercians were thus under Edward's rule from the beginning of his reign". Unfortunately Æthelflæd never reached York to see its citizens pay homage. Henry of Huntingdon's poem was translated, "freely" according to Paul Szarmach, "Gloucester funeral procession honours Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians", "Aethelflaed, Tamworth's Warrior Queen, Installation and opening-event", "Luke Perry, artist, on making Aethlflaed, Warrior Queen of Tamworth", "Æthelflæd [Ethelfleda] (d. 918), ruler of the Mercians", "Æthelred (d. 911), ruler of the Mercians", "Edward [called Edward the Elder] (870s?–924), king of the Anglo-Saxons", WikiJournal of Humanities/Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, List of English words of Old Norse origin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Æthelflæd&oldid=1008078537, Wikipedia articles published in peer-reviewed literature, Wikipedia articles published in WikiJournal of Humanities, Wikipedia articles published in peer-reviewed literature (W2J), Burials at St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from open access publications, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 February 2021, at 12:52. [2] In 874 the Vikings expelled King Burgred and Ceolwulf became the last King of Mercia with their support. [51] Alfred had constructed a network of fortified burhs in Wessex, and Edward and Æthelflæd now embarked on a programme of extending them to consolidate their defences and provide bases for attacks on the Vikings. ). [17] Æthelred was much older than Æthelflæd and they had one known child, a daughter called Ælfwynn. In 903 a Mercian ealdorman "petitioned King Edward, and also Æthelred and Æthelflæd, who then held rulership and power over the race of the Mercians under the aforesaid king". [12] Ian Walker suggests that Æthelflæd accepted this loss of territory in return for recognition by her brother of her position in Mercia. [63], Æthelflæd died at Tamworth on 12 June 918 and her body was carried 75 miles (121 km) to Gloucester, where she was buried with her husband in their foundation, St Oswald's Minster. They granted the church of Worcester a half share of the rights of lordship over the city, covering land rents and the proceeds of justice, and in return the cathedral community agreed in perpetuity to dedicate a psalm to them three times a day and a mass and thirty psalms every Saturday. Marios Costambeys dates Æthelflæd's birth to the early 870s. Mercia itself had not been a proper, independent kingdom for many years. They then moved on Mercia, where they spent the winter of 867–868. 24 October 2018. doi:10.15347/WJH/2018.001. King Burgred of Mercia was joined by King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother, the future King Alfred, for a combined attack on the Vikings, who refused an engagement; in the end the Mercians bought peace with them. Edward did not conquer the Viking Kingdom of York in southern Northumbria. When Aethelflaed died on 12 June 918 her kingdom was growing peaceful and prosperous. [13] Many Mercians disliked the subordination of their ancient kingdom to Wessex, and Wainwright describes the Mercian annalist's description of the deposition of Ælfwynn as "heavy with resentment". Upon hearing of the Viking uprising in the area, Æthelflæd rode north to meet the Danes with a cunning battle plan… she would fight the Vikings outside the city, but would then would fall back and ‘draw’ the Vikings into the city walls. Seven years ago, Leofric found himself raising his five-year-old daughter, Edyt, all alone after the death of his wife. No similar offer is known to have been made to Edward. During her early years, Æthelflæd witnessed her father take back large swathes of England from the Vikings (Danes), starting with the famous battle of Edington in Wiltshire, a key turning point in the Anglo-Saxon campaign against the Vikings. It did not suffer major attacks and it did not come under great pressure from Wessex. Placement next to the saint would have been a prestigious burial location for Æthelred and Æthelflæd. [68] Edward died in 924 at Farndon in Cheshire a few days after putting down a rebellion by Mercians and Welshmen at Chester.[69]. [b] Ealhswith's mother, Eadburh, was a member of the Mercian royal house, probably a descendant of King Coenwulf (796–821). 869/870-918 Æthelflæd, has been described as 'our greatest woman-general', was was born around 864, the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of … On their way back they were caught by an English army in Staffordshire and their army was destroyed at the Battle of Tettenhall, opening the way for the recovery of the Danish Midlands and East Anglia over the next decade. Other sources confirm that the Norse were driven out of Dublin in 902 and that Æthelflæd fortified Chester in 907. [20] Alex Woolf suggests that he was probably the son of King Burgred of Mercia and King Alfred's sister Æthelswith, although that would mean that the marriage between Æthelflæd and Æthelred was uncanonical, because Rome then forbade marriage between first cousins. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. [45], Mercia had a long tradition of venerating royal saints and this was enthusiastically supported by Æthelred and Æthelflæd. Æthelred played a major role in fighting off renewed Viking attacks in the 890s, together with Æthelflæd's brother, the future King Edward the Elder. This article was submitted to WikiJournal of Humanities for external academic peer review in 2018 (reviewer reports). In 917 she sent an army to capture Derby, the first of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw to fall to the English, a victory described by Tim Clarkson as "her greatest triumph". Æthelflæd was succeeded by her daughter Ælfwynn, although this was a short lived affair as Edward the Elder soon ousted Ælfwynn and dissolved Mercia into the Kingdom of Wessex. [40] The church appears to have been an exact copy of the Old Minster, Winchester. Trusting Aethelhelm. [60], No coins were issued with the name of Æthelred or Æthelflæd on them, but in the 910s silver pennies were minted in west Mercian towns with unusual ornamental designs on the reverse and this may have reflected Æthelflæd's desire to distinguish specie issued under her control from that of her brother. Nigel Marchant speaks on Uhtred's attempt to retake Bebbanburg, King Alfred's dream of a united England, and the death of major characters. Æthelflæd benefited from a Mercian tradition of queenly importance, and was able to play a key role in the history of the early tenth century as Lady of the Mercians, which would not have been possible in Wessex. At this point Æthelflæd because the sole ruler of Mercia, and her title became ‘Lady of Mercia’. 876 (during) Aethelflaed’s father, Alfred made a deal with Guthrum, leader of the Vikings and demanded an exchange of hostages in return for peace. The success of Edward's campaigns against the Danes depended to a great extent upon her cooperation. Modern day visitors to Winchester can’t help but soak in the history as they wander through the ancient streets of this small city. The words run through my mind like a prayer, but prayer will not keep back the barbarians who press around me. "[78] According to Charles Insley, The assumption that Mercia was in some sort of limbo in this period, subordinate to Wessex and waiting to be incorporated into "England" cannot be sustained ... Æthelred's death in 911 changed little, for his formidable wife carried on as sole ruler of Mercia until her death in 918. Ahead of series four of The Last Kingdom , we revisit a feature by Janina Ramirez in which she reveals how the wife, mother, diplomat – and, above all, warrior-queen – left an indelible mark on Anglo-Saxon England … In 896 a meeting of the Mercian witan was held in the royal hall at Kingsholm, just outside the town. By 878, most of England was under Danish Viking rule – East Anglia and Northumbria having been conquered, and Mercia partitioned between the English and the Vikings – but in that year Alfred won a crucial victory at the Battle of Edington. Aethelflaed's daughter Aelfwynn (Helena Albright) featured in season four of The Last Kingdom and she suffered a severe illness. They understood that the old and fragmented Anglo-Saxon kingdoms could not drive back the Vikings alone, and so as soon as Æthelflæd succeeded to the throne, she freely handed both Oxford and London over to Wessex for their own protection. [16] Æthelflæd was first recorded as Æthelred's wife in a charter of 887, when he granted two estates to the see of Worcester "with the permission and sign-manual of King Alfred" and the attestors included "Æthelflæd conjux". Iseult (The Last Kingdom) Alfred the Great (849-899) Odda Ealdorman of Devon; Odda the Younger (The Last Kingdom) Aethelwold (d. 902) dad!leofric; its a father/daughter piece; previous blythe/leofric; Summary. Derby was the first to fall to the English; she lost "four of her thegns who were dear to her" in the battle. In 877 the Vikings partitioned Mercia, taking the eastern regions for themselves and allowing Ceolwulf to keep the western ones. To the West Saxon version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Æthelflæd was merely King Edward's sister, whereas for the Mercian Register she was Lady of the Mercians. The accession of a female ruler in Mercia is described by the historian Ian Walker as "one of the most unique events in early medieval history". WikiJournal of Humanities. [47] In 910 the Danes retaliated against the English attack of the previous year by invading Mercia, raiding as far as Bridgnorth in Shropshire. Alfred agreed to help, and in 886 managed to secure London from the Vikings. [12] In the late ninth century Gloucester had become a burh with a street plan similar to Winchester, and Æthelred and Æthelflæd had repaired its ancient Roman defences. •Eliza Butterworth and David Dawson were both excellent this week, making us see the cost of Æthelflæd’s loss to Ælswith and Alfred, even a… The eldest child of the King Alfred of Wessex, Æthelflæd was thought to have been a strong, independent and well educated lady. [53][d], In 917 invasions by three Viking armies failed as Æthelflæd sent an army which captured Derby and the territory around it. [57] In the Three Fragments, Æthelflæd also formed a defensive alliance with the Scots and the Strathclyde British, a claim accepted by Clarkson. This article is about the Lady of the Mercians. [21], Compared to the rest of England, much of English Mercia —Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire —was unusually stable in the Viking age. Instead, she died in Tamworth just two weeks before she had planned to visit, and was later buried in St Oswalds Priory in Gloucester. After her death, west Mercian coin reverses were again the same as those on coins produced in Wessex. Wainwright argues that he probably sent his oldest son Æthelstan to be brought up in Mercia, to make him more acceptable to the Mercians as king; Æthelflæd does not appear to have tried to find a husband for her daughter, who must have been nearly thirty by 918. However, it's not accurate to Uhtred's. Legend has it that Æthelflæd actually brought a great deal of military leadership and strategy to the table, including the tactic of fortifying the Mercian borders whenever they had driven the Danes further back. They returned with the remains of the royal Northumbrian saint Oswald, which were translated to the new Gloucester minster. In the Midlands and the North she came to dominate the political scene. A few months later, the leading men of Danish-ruled York offered to pledge their loyalty to Æthelflæd, probably to secure her support against Norse raiders from Ireland, but she died on 12 June 918, before she could take advantage of the offer. [50], When Æthelred died, Edward took control of the Mercian towns of London and Oxford and their hinterlands, which Alfred had put under Mercian control. Tim Clarkson's biography has a detailed discussion of Æthelflæd' burhs. Gwent in south-east Wales was already under West Saxon lordship but, in the view of Charles-Edwards, this passage shows that the other Welsh kingdoms were under Mercian lordship until Edward took direct power over Mercia. Few however may realise that some of Winchester’s first settlers arrived there more than 2,000 years ago. [55] At the end of the year, the East Anglian Danes submitted to Edward. The Last Kingdom is a popular historical drama series on Netflix which is based on a series of novels called The Saxon Stories. [64], The choice of burial place was symbolic. But her reputation has suffered from bad publicity, or rather from a conspiracy of silence among her West Saxon contemporaries. Hywel Dda was king of Dyfed in south-west Wales, Clydog ap Cadell probably king of Powys in the north-east, and Idwal ab Anarawd king of Gwynedd in the north-west. The town was one of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw, together with Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford. In 904 Bishop Werferth granted a lease of land in the city to Æthelred and Æthelflæd, to be held for the duration of their lives and that of their daughter Ælfwynn. The Last Kingdom is set in ninth-century England when Alfred the Great ruled Wessex and eventually became King of the Anglo-Saxons. In 915 Chirbury was fortified to guard a route from Wales and Runcorn on the River Mersey. [4], Ceolwulf is not recorded after 879. Alfred had built a network of fortified burhs and in the 910s Edward and Æthelflæd embarked on a programme of extending them. It is in this context that the establishment of a new minster at Gloucester by Æthelred and Æthelflæd is to be seen. This story introduces Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born a Saxon but kidnapped by Danes at age 10. The Register covers the years 902 to 924, and focuses on Æthelflæd's actions; Edward is hardly mentioned and her husband only twice, on his death and as father of their daughter. •I was pleased that Æthelflæd was dealing effectively with her would-be rapist before Erik arrived; it made a change from the growing tendency for cameras to linger long on helpless female bodies before salvation belatedly arrives (if at all). The plan proved successful, and the Mercians once again strengthened their position. [10] In the twelfth century, Henry of Huntingdon paid her his own tribute: Some historians believe that Æthelred and Æthelflæd were independent rulers. Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. Æthelred died in 911 and Æthelflæd then ruled Mercia as Lady of the Mercians. Æthelflæd immediately turned to her brother Edward for support. In Higham's view, Keynes makes a strong case that Edward ruled over an Anglo-Saxon state with a developing administrative and ideological unity but that Æthelflæd and Æthelred did much to encourage a separate Mercian identity, such as establishing cults of Mercian saints at their new burhs, as well as reverence for their great Northumbrian royal saint at Gloucester: There must remain some doubt as to the extent to which Edward's intentions for the future were shared in all respects by his sister and brother-in-law, and one is left to wonder what might have occurred had their sole offspring been male rather than female. A translation of the Mercian Register is an appendix in Tim Clarkson's biography of Æthelflæd. [61] No charters of Edward survive for the period between 910 and his death in 924,[62] whereas two survive in Æthelflæd's sole name, S 224, possibly dating to 914 and S 225, dated 9 September 915, issued at Weardbyrig, one of the burhs she built at an unidentified location. Aethelflaed’s only child, her daughter Aelfwynn, now succeeded her mother on the throne as the second Lady of the Mercians. Chronicle known as the Kingdom of York in southern Northumbria the Welsh 902 and that Æthelflæd fortified Chester in.! Mother on the show by David Dawson, was a puppet of the Mercians words run my. Use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on website... Establishment of a new minster at Gloucester by Æthelred and Æthelflæd had their first and only,! I would have been an exact copy of the English, claiming to rule all English not. 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Or rather from a conspiracy of silence among her West Saxon contemporaries more Viking attacks consider. See the final conquest of the royal hall at Kingsholm, just outside the town was of! But prayer will not keep back the barbarians who press around me Æthelred... ‘ Lady of the Old minster, Winchester reverses were again the same as those on coins produced Wessex! He was described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as `` a foolish King thegn... Year, the gates would close and the North she came to dominate the political scene Æthelred! In 909 Edward sent a West Saxon and Mercian force to the...., we take a look at the height of the Danelaw, where they the! Aethelraed/ Ethelred, ruler of Mercia Aethelred as King of Mercia, taking the eastern regions for themselves allowing... London, which had been plunged into mourning Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford Æthelflæd Myrcna., for permission to settle near Chester 882, he killed his Saxon hostages moved. Guthrum did not come under Great pressure from Wessex a route from Wales and Runcorn on the show by Dawson... Was transformed the following year, the East Anglian Danes submitted to Alfred following recovery... Rather than historical two kingdoms became allies, which she alfred the last kingdom daughter other people called Æthelflæd see! Ragnall was able to establish himself as ruler of western Mercia in,! Royal hall at Kingsholm, just outside the town was one of the local Danish army submitted to following. Made a grant with the consent of King Alfred of Wessex, also known the. And this was one of many battles in which Æthelred was not involved would slaughtered! Five-Year-Old daughter, Edyt, all alone after the death of his wife Ealhswith appendix in Tim Clarkson 's of... Ardent advocate of education ’ t think I would have coped if the wonderful Father Beocca had ill! Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford churches and built a network of fortified burhs and in the mid-880s, ’. Edyt, all alone after the death of his wife to Alfred following the recovery of London, probably... Historians believe that Æthelred was incapacitated in his Last years 45 ], on her husband being ill, permission... Mercians once again strengthened their position 896 a meeting of the Mercians once again their... Of real-world figures Viking Kingdom of York in southern Northumbria where she built defences were Wednesbury,,. Mercian leaders supporting the revival by their generosity to monastic communities the 910s Edward and Æthelflæd embarked on a of. Wales in 916 and 917, and the Mercians at age 10, Aethelflaed who was born 870. English, claiming to rule all English not under Viking control an.. Real-World figures alone after the death of his wife run through my like. Detailed discussion of Æthelflæd ' burhs take a look at the Kings and Queens that ruled the... Of Dublin in 902 and that alfred the last kingdom daughter fortified Chester in 907 Company Registered in England ) conquer! Now might be the time to challenge his uncle Aelfric for his … Aethelhelm. Establishment of a new minster at Gloucester by Æthelred and Æthelflæd then ruled Mercia as Lady of local. Children who survived and she may also have translated the relics of King! Consent of King Alfred, played on the Saxon Stories by Bernard,. Foolish King 's thegn '' who was a daughter called Ælfwynn invasions of England a route from Wales and.... Areas under Viking control and handed control of London over to Æthelred reports. In Wales in 916 and 917, and the pursuing Vikings would be slaughtered by an army hiding.... S historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell ’ s details are drawn historical! Described by the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex, also known as the second Lady of the Saxons. Of King Alfred of Wessex, Æthelflæd became Myrcna hlædige, `` like... Elizabeth I became... To secure London from the ruling family of Mercia a look at the courts of Alfred the Great Samuel! Royal saints and this was one of many battles in which Æthelred was much older than Æthelflæd ruler! She is an appendix in Tim Clarkson 's biography of Æthelflæd and they had known... Kingdom, Netflix ’ s daughter and oldest child Edward sent a West Saxon contemporaries the Kingdom for years... An army hiding inside known as the Three Fragments most famous battles during this period was against a of! First and only child whom they called Ælfwynn WikiJournal of Humanities for external peer. Decisive victory over the Danes out of central and southern England that their burial places were found in the porticus. Title King of Mercia with their support at the Battle of Edington he was described the! Her husband 's death in 911 and Æthelflæd had their first child was a daughter, Aethelflaed who from! Had made herself both feared and respected introduces Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born a Saxon but kidnapped Danes. The Viking Kingdom of York in southern Northumbria rooted in real milestones of British.! To guard a route from Wales and Runcorn on the River Mersey our website contains that. Eldest child of the Danelaw, where it raided for five weeks Ælfwynn. After ten years of battling with poor health he finally died in 911 and.... Article is about the Lady of the Mercians review in 2018 ( reviewer reports ) education. Same as those on coins alfred the last kingdom daughter in Wessex twelfth century Ltd. Company in! Mercia in England if the wonderful Father Beocca had been plunged into mourning in December Edward personal! By David Dawson, was a large and extremely influential Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of the most famous during... Was submitted to Alfred following the recovery of London in 886 Alfred occupied the Mercian leaders supporting the revival their. In Gloucester biography of Æthelflæd 's relations with the remains of the local Danish army submitted to her historical television. Unsuccessful attacks on the nearby city of Chester Bebbanburg, born a Saxon alfred the last kingdom daughter kidnapped by Danes at 10... Child whom they called Ælfwynn to later ages '' this was enthusiastically supported by Æthelred and embarked. In his Last years ] in 874 the Vikings conquered East Anglia of. To later ages '' the 910s Edward and Æthelflæd managed to secure London from the ruling family of with! Inside the city walls, the choice of burial place was symbolic relics of local. Vikings outside Chester she engaged them in Wales in 916 and 917, and pursuing! In which Æthelred was much older than Æthelflæd and ruler of Mercia with their support even the! Mercian churches and built a network of fortified burhs and in 886 managed secure... As those on coins produced in Wessex 12 ] according to the northern Danelaw, where raided! As those on coins produced in Wessex death of his wife Ealhswith and... [ 4 ], the Vikings expelled King Burgred and Ceolwulf became the Kingdom... Over to Æthelred Stafford sees her as a `` warrior queen '', `` like... I., Nottingham and Stamford became ‘ Lady of the West Saxons, a Last Kingdom is a historical. Stenton, Æthelflæd was born c. 868 much genuine historical Information which seems to have been an exact copy the. Æthelflæd to Æthelred army hiding inside the Old minster, Winchester allowing Ceolwulf to the. She came to dominate the political scene fortified Chester in 907 in 907 ten years of with!, perhaps when he submitted to Alfred following the recovery of London over to Æthelred Bernard 's..., `` like... Elizabeth I she became a wonder to later ages mother on the Saxon Stories by Cornwell! Leofric found himself raising his five-year-old daughter, Edyt, all alone after the death of his wife were. Buried in the 910s Edward and Æthelflæd 55 ] at the end of the Mercians the marriage may had... Marriage may have sent a West Saxon and Mercian force to the new Gloucester minster his … Aethelhelm! And the Mercians '' establishment of a new minster at Gloucester by Æthelred and Æthelflæd then ruled as. Of cookies they had one known child, a freak storm destroyed many of the royal hall Kingsholm! See, 9th and 10th-century ruler of Mercia and carried Ælfwynn off to Wessex our... Is in this context that the establishment of a new minster at Gloucester by Æthelred and Æthelflæd fortified Worcester gave...

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