Biography
Biography
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

EDWARD (the Elder, King of West Saxons, 899-924)

 Borncirca 871   Born At
 Died17 July 924  Buried AtWinchester
 FatherAlfred (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899)  MotherEalhswith
SucceededAlfred (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899)Preceded ATHELSTAN (King of the English 924-939)
 Royal House Wessex  
 Borncirca 871 / 
 Died17 July 924 / Winchester
dward was the ruler of Wessex from 899 after the death of his father Alfred the Great until July 924. His coronation was on June 8th, 900 as Kingston-upon-Thames. When Alfred died the matter of succession was disputed by Edward and his cousin Athelwold. Edward found support in the south of the country while Athelwold found support in the Danes of Northumbria who accepted him as their over-lord. Athelwold was killed in battle in 905. Edward's sister Aethelflaed married Aethelred the ruler of Mercia and together Edward and Aethelred defeated the Danes at Tattenhall in 910. In 911 Aethelred died but Athelflaed became the ruler of Mercia and was known as the 'Lady of the Mercians. Alongside her brother Aethelflaed fought against the invading Vikings. She died in 918 after which Edward the Elder was able to add Mercia to his domains.

Related Episodes

Viking Invasions (click here)

Viking Invasions (click here)

Parents

Fantasy image of Alfred (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899)
Alfred (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899)
Fantasy image of Ealhswith
Ealhswith

 

Family Tree Details

Father:Alfred (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899) (b.849 - d.899)
Mother:Ealhswith ( - d.905)
Show Graphical Tree
 EDWARD (the Elder, King of West Saxons, 899-924) (b.871? - d.924)
    +Egwina ( - d.890?)
    |   = ATHELSTAN (King of the English 924-939) (b.895? - d.939)
    +Edgiva
        = Edmund (I, King of the English 939-946) (b.922? - d.946)
        |   +Aelfgifu ( - d.944?)
        |       = Eadwig (King of the English 955-959) (b.939 - d.959)
        |       = Edgar (I, King of the English 959-975) (b.944 - d.975)
        |           +Ethelflead
        |           |   = EDWARD (The Martyr, King of the English 975-978) (b.962 - m.978)
        |           +Wulfryth
        |           +Elfthyrth (b.945 - d.1000)
        |               = Edmund (b.965 - )
        |               = Aethelred (II The Unready, King of the English 978-1013, 1014-1016) (b.967 - d.1016)
        = Eadred (King of the English 946-955) (b.923? - d.955)
 EDWARD (the Elder, King of West Saxons, 899-924) (b.871? - d.924)
    +Egwina ( - d.890?)
    |   = ATHELSTAN (King of the English 924-939) (b.895? - d.939)
    +Edgiva
        = Edmund (I, King of the English 939-946) (b.922? - d.946)
        |   +Aelfgifu ( - d.944?)
        |       = Eadwig (King of the English 955-959) (b.939 - d.959)
        |       = Edgar (I, King of the English 959-975) (b.944 - d.975)
        |           +Ethelflead
        |           |   = EDWARD (The Martyr, King of the English 975-978) (b.962 - m.978)
        |           +Wulfryth
        |           +Elfthyrth (b.945 - d.1000)
        |               = Edmund (b.965 - )
        |               = Aethelred (II The Unready, King of the English 978-1013, 1014-1016) (b.967 - d.1016)
        = Eadred (King of the English 946-955) (b.923? - d.955)

See Also

    People

    Places

    Timeline

    894(Age: 23yrs)

    While Alfred concentrated his efforts against the Danes at Milton, the Danes at Appledore left their camp. Alfred's son Edward took an army and caught the Danes at Farnham. Edward dealt a heavy blow and forced the Danes to retreat to an island on the River Colne. At the same time Danes from East Anglia had sailed around to the Cornish coast and had besieged Exeter. Aflred, who had been on his way to help Edward deal with the Danes on the island, changed direction and headed for Exeter. Back in Essex Haesten had gained reinforcements and moved to a new fortified site at Benfleet, but the fort was attacked by the Saxons while the Danes were on a raiding trip and this forced Haesten to move to Shoebury. The Danes outside Exeter ended their siege and sailed around to the join Haesten at Shoebury.

    899(Age: 28yrs)

    Alfred the Great died on October 26th and Edward, his son, became king of Wessex. Apart from the English people under Danish rule, Alfred had ruled over all the English in the country. [1]

    900(Age: 29yrs)

    The coronation of Edward the Elder took place at Kingston-upon-Thames.

    901(Age: 30yrs)

    The Danes in Northumbria accepted Aethelwold as their king. Aethelwold needed an army if he was going to take the English throne from King Edward.

    902(Age: 31yrs)

    Athelwold and Eric the Dane were killed in battle when they fought an army of Kentish men who were part of King Edward's army. [2]

    906(Age: 35yrs)

    Edward the Elder managed to agree peace terms with the Danes in Northumbria but friendly relationships were not to last. [2]

    907(Age: 36yrs)

    According to medieval accounts the abbey for nuns was founded at Romsey by Edward the Elder in this year. [3]

    910(Age: 39yrs)

    Edward the Elder of Wessex with help from Aethelred of Mercia defeated Danes from York at the battle of Tettenhall (Wednesfield) in Staffordshire. Many of the Danes were killed in the battle including Halfden. The West Saxons and Mercians laid waste to Northumbria for several weeks after their victory. [4]

    917(Age: 46yrs)

    The Danes were defeated at the battle of Tempsford and their leader Guthurm was killed. [5]

    918(Age: 47yrs)

    Edward the Elder captured Nottingham from the Danes.

    Around this time Edward the Elder expelled the Danes from Bedford and fortified the several towns with ditches. Bedord, Colchester, Huntingdon and Wigmore are examples of the towns whose defences were improved after the Danes left. [6]

    924(Age: 53yrs)

    Edward the Elder died (at Farndon in Mercia). He was succeeded by his son Athelstan. [7]

    On this day in history:

    TimeRef Shield Designer

    Use this medieval shield designer to create your coat of arms. Click the image below to start your design.

    TimeRef Shield Designer

    Use this medieval shield designer to create your coat of arms. Click the image below to start your design.

    3D Virtual Reconstructions

    Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past. Built using the popular game development tool Unity 3D, these reconstructions will run in the most of the popular web browsers on your desktop or laptop computer.

    More medieval people

    Uncover the lives of the hundreds of kings, queens, lords, ladies, barons, earls, archbishops and rebels who made the medieval people an exciting period of history to live through.

    Page Navigation

    Selection of references used:

    • 1: Ronald McNair Scott, Alfred the Great, ISBN:0-86332-832-6
    • 2: J. Raine, Historic Towns: York
    • 3: M.R.James, Abbeys, 1925, The Great Western Railway (1925)
    • 4: C.W.Previte-Orton, The shorter Cambridge Medieval History
    • 5: Richard Cavendish, Kings and Queens The Concise Guide, ISBN:978-0-7153-2376-2
    • 6: Paul de Rapin-Thoyras, The History of England, Volume 5
    • 7: Richard Humble, The Fall of Saxon England

      See Also

        People

        Places

        Explore the White Tower

        Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.

        3D/VR

        Virtual Buildings

        Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.

        A Medieval Mystery

        There appear to be some strange connections between the fourteenth century Old Wardour Castle and ancient stone circle Stonehenge.

        1: Location

        Old Wardour Castle appears to be aligned to ancient sites in the Stonehenge landscape.

        2: Alignment

        Stonehenge is aligned to the Summer Solstice. Old Wardour has a very similar alignment.

        3: Size

        Could the builders of Old Wardour used mesaurements from Stonehenge to layout the geometrical keep?

        Learn More