Edward the Elder

Edward the Elder, English: Edward the Elder (c. 871; † July 17 924 ) was King of Wessex from 899 to 924

Life

He was the second son and successor of his father, Alfred the Great, as his older brother Edmund died before 899.

Immediately after his accession ( 899) he was threatened by his cousin Aethelwold, in turn, claimed the throne of Wessex and was supported by the Danes in the north. In 904 Edward defeated this enemy in a final battle.

Not much is known about the reign of Edward, because too few sources have survived. For example, missing all the royal charters of the years 909 to 921 Between 907 and 920 organized Eduard and his sister Ethelfleda the fight against the Danes in the North of England. 910 he brought the Danes at the Battle of Tettenhall a heavy defeat at, could begin with the expansion of his territory and eventually wrest the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the south Humbriens Danish rule. Due to the construction of castles he urged the Danes to 918 back behind the River Humber.

Although controlled Eduard to 920 Wessex, Mercia and the north to the Humber, but king of all England, as was his father, Edward was never official.

Family

In his first marriage he was married to Egwina († 901/2 ), the daughter of a nobleman of Wessex. With her he had the following children:

Æthelstan ( King of England)
Alfred († very young )
St. Edith ( * 900, † after 927 in Tamworth ) ∞ January 30 925/926, Sihtric Caoch, King of Northumbria († 927 ); since 927 Abbess of Tamworth.

His second wife, he married 901/902 Elfleda († 920), the daughter of Count Ethel helmet. With her he had the following children:

Edwin († 933 ), sub- king of Kent
Elfweard († August 1 924 in Oxford ), King of England ( July 17-August 1 924 )
Edfleda, Nun in Winchester
Eadgifu ( Edgiva, ogive; * to 905; † after 951) ∞ 1) 918/919, King Charles III. of West Francia (* 879, † 929 ); ∞ 2) 951, Heribert Count of Meaux and Troyes (c. 910, † 980/984 ).
Edhilda (* about 907/910; † January 26 937) ∞ 926/927, Hugh the Great, Duke of Franzien and Count of Paris (* 895, † 956).
Editha (c. 910/913, † 946/947 ) ∞ 930, Otto I, King of Ostfrankenreichs (* 912, † 973)
Elgiva († 1005) ∞ Duke Boleslav II of Bohemia († 999)
Ethelfleda, Abbess of Romsey Abbey
Ethel Hilda nun in Romsey Abbey

In his third wife he married around 920 Edgiva (c. 905; † August 25, 968 ), the daughter of the Earl of Kent Sigehelm. With her he had the following children:

Edmund I ( King of England)
Eadred ( King of England)
St. Edburga (c. 922; † June 15 960) nun in Nunnaminster
Edgiva (c. 923 ) ∞ either Ludwig III, King of Provence. ( About 880 *, † June 5 928) or Ebehard, count on the Nordgau († about 960 )

Edward also had at least one illegitimate son:

Gregory, Abbot of Einsiedeln