Æthelflæd

Ethelfleda (also Aethelfled, Æthelfleda or Aethelflaed, * to 872, † 918) was the eldest daughter of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and his wife Ealhswith. Ethelfleda was born around the year 872 and married 886 Æthelred, ealdorman or later the Earl of Mercia. They had a daughter named Aelfwynn.

Life

Ethelfleda was 15 years old when she was married. While she was on her way to her wedding in Mercia, the convoy was attacked by the Danes. The Danes they wanted to kill, so as to prevent the alliance between Wessex and Mercia. Although half their companions fell in the first attack, managed Ethelfleda to entrench themselves with the rest in a ditch and hit the Danes. Even later in their marriage often gave the impression that she and not her husband would be the true leader of the country. This went so far that she signed contracts. After her husband was like 911 at the Battle of Tettenhall, it was awarded the title "Lady of Mercia ".

This track filled it not only pro forma from, but it proved to be an excellent tactician and military leader. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that eight years reigned Ethelfleda of the neubefestigten capital Stafford. The English county of Staffordshire to have been founded at this time. You still fortified the borders and conquered the city of Derby back.

In the year 918 she died in Tamworth and was buried in St. Peter 's Church ( now St. Oswald's monastery church) in Gloucester. As the new rulers of Mercia her brother King Edward the Elder of Wessex was used. This merged the two kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia and provided the foundation for the later united England.

In Mercia itself Aelfwynn, the daughter of Ethelfleda continued to rule as a regional princess. This makes it clear that, unlike in other nations, the sovereign rights could be passed on to the heirs female. But Aelfwynn was no more than a puppet of her uncle Edward and perceived not own sovereign rights. Most of her life she should have spent in a monastery.

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