Britain's Royal Families

see here).

5   Thyra

She is said to have been a daughter of Edward by Edgiva, but there is some doubt about this. No dates are recorded. She married Gorm the Old, king in North Jutland, and had issue:

1 Harold I, King of Denmark ( d.986), who also married and had issue.

Edward is also reputed to have had the following illegitimate issue, although this is in dispute:

1  Gregory, Abbot of Einsiedlen in Germany.

KING EDWARD THE ELDER

He died on 17 July, 924/5, at Farndon-on-Dee, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.

He was succeeded by his son Athelstan.

King Athelstan

FATHER: King Edward the Elder( see here).

MOTHER: Egwina( King Edward the Elder, see here).

SIBLINGS: ( see here, under King Edward the Elder).

ATHELSTAN

He was born in c.895. He succeeded his father as the first King of a united England on 17 July, 924/5, and was crowned on 4 September, 924/5, at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. The monarchy in England may be said to have been properly established under King Athelstan. Athelstan never married, and had no issue. He died on 27 October, 939, at Gloucester, and was buried in Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire (his tomb dates only from the fifteenth century).

He was succeeded by his half-brother Edmund.

Edmund I

FATHER: King Edward the Elder( see here).

MOTHER: Edgiva of Kent( see here, under King Edward the Elder).

SIBLINGS: ( see here, under King Edward the Elder).

EDMUND I

Known as ‘the Magnificent’, he was born in c.920/22. He succeeded his half-brother King Athelstan as King of England on 27 October, 939, and was crowned on 29 November, 939, at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. From 944 onwards, he was the effective ruler of the whole of England until his death.

Edmund I married firstly, in c.940 (although no record exists as to where):

St Elgiva

Her origins are unknown. She died in c.944 or 946 at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, where she was probably buried (or, less probably, at Shipton Abbey). She has sometimes, erroneously, been described as Abbess of Wilton. After her death, she was popularly reputed a saint.

Issue of marriage:

1   King Edwy( see here).

2   King Edgar( see here).

3   Daughter( name not known), who married Baldwin, Count of Hesdin.

Edmund I married secondly,in c.946:

Ethelfleda

She was the daughter of Alfgar, Ealdorman of the Wilsaetas (Wiltshire?), and was perhaps born at Damerham, Wiltshire. After Edmund’s death, she perhaps married secondly Athelstan, an Ealdorman. She later became a nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, where she died after 975, when her Will was dated. She was buried in Shaftesbury Abbey.

EDMUND I

He was murdered on 26 May, 946, at Pucklechurch, Dorset, when an outlaw named Liofa stabbed him whilst he was dining in his hall. He was buried in Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset.

He was succeeded by his brother Edred.

King Edred

FATHER: King Edward the Elder( see here).

MOTHER: Edgiva of Kent( King Edward the Elder, see here).

SIBLINGS: ( King Edward the Elder, see here).

KING EDRED

He was born in c.923/5, and succeeded his brother Edmund I as King of England on 26 May, 946. He was crowned on 16 August, 946, at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. He expelled the Danes from England in 954, thereupon establishing his authority throughout England.

One authority states that Edred had issue, but gives no details. I have found no other evidence to support this. There is no record of his having been married.

KING EDRED

He died on 23 November, 955, at Frome, Somerset, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral. His bones are now in one of the mortuary chests there.

He was succeeded by his nephew Edwy.

King Edwy

FATHER: Edmund I( see here).

MOTHER: St Elgiva( see here, under Edmund I).

SIBLINGS: ( see here, under Edmund I).

KING EDWY

Known as ‘the Fair’, he was born in c.941/3 (certainly before 943). He succeeded his uncle King Edred as King of England on 23 November, 955, and was crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames c.26 January, 956. He was a weak king, and his authority was confined to Wessex from 958, his younger brother Edgar taking over the government of Northumbria and Mercia.

Edwy married, during the winter of 955/6 (although no record exists as to where):

Elgiva

Her father is unknown; her mother, Ethelgiva, of unknown origin, is said by some sources to have been Edwy’s mistress. The marriage was certainly frowned upon by the Church. Late sources state that it was annulled around 958, and that Elgiva was banished from court, possibly to Ireland, but these sources may be too late to be reliable. Elgiva died around September, 959, at Gloucester.

KING EDWY

He died on 1 October, 959, at Gloucester, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.

He was succeeded by his brother Edgar.

King Edgar

FATHER: Edmund I( see here).

MOTHER: St Elgiva( see here, under Edmund I).

SIBLINGS: ( see here, under Edmund I).

KING EDGAR

Known as ‘the Peaceable’, he was born in 942/4. He took over the government of Northumbria and Mercia from his brother King Edwy in 958, and was styled King of those realms from that date. He succeeded Edwy on 1 October, 959, but was not crowned until 11 May, 973, as St Dunstan, the Archbishop of Canterbury, would not agree to crown Edgar until he amended his way of life. The coronation, which took place in Bath Abbey, followed the new form of service devised by St Dunstan and based on European models. This is the form of Coronation Rite used, with modifications, in the 20th century.

Edgar married firstly, in c.961/2 (although no record exists as to where):

Ethelfleda

Known as ‘the Fair’, she was the daughter of Ealdorman Ordmaer by his wife Ealda. Later sources allege that she was divorced by Edgar in c.964, so that he could marry his second wife, but this is probably a fabrication, and it is likely that Ethelfleda died in c.962/4, probably by 965 (although one unreliable source gives the date of her death as 972/3). She was buried in Wilton Abbey, Wiltshire, where she is said to have retired after her alleged divorce.