Biography of King Edmund I of England 921-946

Paternal Family Tree: Wessex

899 Death of King Alfred the Great

924 Death of King Edward Exile

937 Battle of Brunanburh

946 Death of King Edmund

Around 893 [his father] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 19) and Ecgwynn Unknown Queen Consort Anglo Saxons were married. He the son of King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex (age 44) and Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England.

Death of King Alfred the Great

On 26 Oct 899 [his grandfather] King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex (age 50) died at Winchester, Hampshire [Map]. He was buried at Hyde Abbey. His son [his father] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 25) succeeded King Anglo Saxons. Ecgwynn Unknown Queen Consort Anglo Saxons by marriage Queen Consort Anglo Saxons.

Around 900 [his father] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 26) and Aelfflaed Wiltshire Queen Anglo Saxons (age 30) were married. She the daughter of Æthelhelm Earldorman Wiltshire. He the son of King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex and Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England.

Around 919 [his father] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 45) and [his mother] Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons were married. She by marriage Queen Anglo Saxons. He the son of King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex and Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England.

In 921 King Edmund I of England was born to King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 47) and Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons.

Death of King Edward Exile

On 17 Jul 924 [his father] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 50) died. He was buried in St Oswald's Priory [Map]. His son [his half-brother] King Æthelstan I of England (age 30) succeeded King Anglo Saxons. His son King Æthelstan I of England (age 30) succeeded I King Anglo Saxons.

Battle of Brunanburh

In 937 [his half-brother] King Æthelstan I of England (age 43) and his son Edmund (age 16) defeated the Scottish, Irish Viking and Strathclyde army at the Battle of Brunanburh. Two of Æthelstan's cousins, Æthelwine Wessex and Aelfwine Wessex were killed.

Archbishop Oda was present although there are no contemporary records of Oda's appearance at the battle. He is said to have miraculously provided a sword to the king when the king's own sword slipped out of its scabbard.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 938. Here [his half-brother] Athelstan king (age 44), of earls the lord, rewarder of heroes, and his brother eke, Edmund atheling, elder of ancient race, slew in the fight, with the edge of their swords, the foe at Brumby! The sons (age 17) of Edward their board-walls clove, and hewed their banners, with the wrecks of their hammers. So were they taught by kindred zeal, that they at camp oft 'gainst any robber their land should defend, their hoards and homes. Pursuing fell the Scottish clans; the men of the fleet in numbers fell; 'midst the din of the field the warrior swate. Since the sun was up in morning-tide, gigantic light! glad over grounds, God's candle bright, eternal Lord!- 'till the noble creature sat in the western main: there lay many of the Northern heroes under a shower of arrows, shot over shields; and Scotland's boast, a Scythian race, the mighty seed of Mars! With chosen troops, throughout the day, the West-Saxons fierce press'd on the loathed bands; hew'd down the fugitives, and scatter'd the rear, with strong mill-sharpen'd blades, The Mercians too the hard hand-play spared not to any of those that with Anlaf over the briny deep in the ship's bosom sought this land for the hardy fight. Five kings lay on the field of battle, in bloom of youth, pierced with swords. So seven eke of the earls of Anlaf; and of the ship's-crew unnumber'd crowds. There was dispersed the little band of hardy Scots, the dread of northern hordes; urged to the noisy deep by unrelenting fate! The king of the fleet with his slender craft escaped with his life on the felon flood;- and so too Constantine, the valiant chief, returned to the north in hasty flight. The hoary Hildrinc cared not to boast among his kindred. Here was his remnant of relations and friends slain with the sword in the crowded fight. His son too he left on the field of battle, mangled with wounds, young at the fight. The fair-hair'd youth had no reason to boast of the slaughtering strife. Nor old Inwood and Anlaf the more with the wrecks of their army could laugh and say, that they on the field of stern command better workmen were, in the conflict of banners, the clash of spears, the meeting of heroes, and the rustling of weapons, which they on the field of slaughter played with the sons of Edward. The northmen sail'd in their nailed ships, a dreary remnant, on the roaring sea; over deep water Dublin [Map] they sought, and Ireland's shores, in great disgrace. Such then the brothers both together king and atheling, sought their country, West-Saxon land, in right triumphant. They left behind them raw to devour, the sallow kite, the swarthy raven with horny nib, and the hoarse vultur, with the eagle swift to consume his prey; the greedy gos-hawk, and that grey beast the wolf of the weald. No slaughter yet was greater made e'er in this island, of people slain, before this same, with the edge of the sword; as the books inform us of the old historians; since hither came from the eastern shores the Angles and Saxons, over the broad sea, and Britain sought,- fierce battle-smiths, o'ercame the Welsh, most valiant earls, and gained the land.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 939. This year [his half-brother] King Athelstan (age 45) died in Gloucester, Gloucestershire [Map], on the sixth day before the calends of November, about forty-one winters, bating one night, from the time when King Alfred died. And Edmund Atheling (age 18) took to the kingdom. He was then eighteen years old. King Athelstan reigned fourteen years and ten weeks. This year the Northumbrians abandoned their allegiance, and chose Anlaf of Ireland for their king.

On 27 Oct 939 [his half-brother] King Æthelstan I of England (age 45) died in Gloucester, Gloucestershire [Map]. His half brother King Edmund I of England (age 18) succeeded King England.

In 940 Archbishop Oda arranged a truce between Olaf III Guthfrithson, King of Dublin and York, and King Edmund I of England (age 19).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 942. Here Edmund king (age 21), of Angles lord, protector of friends, author and framer of direful deeds. o'erran with speed the Mercian land. whete'er the course of Whitwell-spring, or Humber deep, The broad brim-stream, divides five towns. Leicester and Lincoln. Nottingham and Stamford, and Derby eke. In thraldom long to Norman Danes they bowed through need, and dragged the chains of heathen men; till, to his glory, great Edward's heir, Edmund the king, refuge of warriors, their fetters broke.

In or before 943 King Edmund I of England (age 22) and Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons and Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 943. This year Anlaf stormed Tamworth, Staffordshire [Map]; and much slaughter was made on either hand; but the Danes had the victory, and led away with them much plunder. There was Wulfrun (age 8) taken, in the spoiling of the town. This year King Edmund (age 22) beset King Anlaf and Archbishop Wulfstan in Leicester; and he might have conquered them, were it not that they burst out of the town in the night. After this Anlaf obtained the friendship of King Edmund (age 22), and King Edmund (age 22) then received King Anlaf in baptism; and he made him royal presents. And the same year, after some interval, he received King Reynold at episcopal hands. This year also died King Anlaf.

Around 943 [his son] King Edgar "Peaceful" I of England was born to King Edmund I of England (age 22) and [his wife] Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England at Winchester, Hampshire [Map].

In 944 [his wife] Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England died.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 944. This year King Edmund (age 23) reduced all the land of the Northumbrians to his dominion, and expelled two kings, Anlaf (age 17) the son of Sihtric, and Reynold the son of Guthferth.

In or after 944 King Edmund I of England (age 23) and Æthelflæd of Damerham Queen Consort of England were married. She by marriage Queen Consort England. He the son of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons and Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 945. This year King Edmund (age 24) overran all Cumberland; and let it all to Malcolm king of the Scots, on the condition that he became his ally, both by sea and land.

Death of King Edmund

On 26 May 946 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 [his brother] King Eadred I of England succeeded I King England.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 26 May 946. This year 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 [his brother] 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.

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 (age 42). 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 (age 65) 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 (age 65), 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 (age 62) 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, Edward the Elder, Athelstan, Edmund, [his brother] Edred, and Edgar.

[his son] Eadwig "All Fair" I King England was born to King Edmund I of England and Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury Queen Consort England.

King Edmund I of England 921-946 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex 849-899

Royal Ancestors of King Edmund I of England 921-946

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

Royal Descendants of King Edmund I of England 921-946

Eadwig "All Fair" I King England x 1

King Edgar "Peaceful" I of England x 1

Ancestors of King Edmund I of England 921-946

Great x 4 Grandfather: Eafa Wessex

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ealmund King of Kent

Great x 2 Grandfather: Egbert King 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 Edmund I of England

GrandFather: Sigehelm Earldorman Kent

Mother: Eadgifu Kent Queen Anglo Saxons