Edsige
Encyclopedia
Edsige, also Eadsige, Eadsimus, or Eadsin (died 1050), was Archbishop of Canterbury
, and crowned Edward the Confessor
as king of England.
at Christ Church, Canterbury about 1030. About 1035, he served as a suffragan or coadjutor bishop
to Archbishop Æthelnoth of Canterbury, with his see located at the church of St. Martin in Canterbury
. He was translated to the Archbishopric of Canterbury in 1038 after Æthelnoth's death. In 1040, he journeyed to Rome to receive his pallium
from Pope Benedict IX
.
Eadsige may have crowned Harthacnut in 1040, but he definitely crowned Edward the Confessor on 3 April 1043 along with Ælfric Puttoc, the Archbishop of York
. In 1044, Eadsige, wishing to withdraw from his see because of ill-health, appears to have approached King Edward and Godwin, Earl of Wessex
, about temporarily consecrating Siward
, abbot of Abingdon
in Eadsige's place. This retirement lasted until 1048, when Siward became ill and returned to Abingdon to die within eight weeks. While he was archbishop, he also was sheriff of Kent
. William of Malmesbury
relates a story that Siward deprived Eadsige of food during Edsige's illness and because of this Siward was not allowed to succeed Eadsige, but had to settle for the see of Rochester instead. However this probably is a fabrication to account for the fact that Siward did not become archbishop after Eadsige, for William had confused Siward, the abbot, with a different Siward, this one Siward
of Rochester, who was Bishop of Rochester
from 1058 to 1075. The see of Worcester preserved a tradition that in about 1047 it was Eadsige, along with Lyfing
the Bishop of Worcester
, who forced Sweyn Godwinson
to give up his wife who had been the abbess
of Leominster Abbey
before Sweyn abducted her.
Eadsige died on 29 October 1050 or possibly just sometime in October of 1050. During his occupation of the see, many of the lands of the see were either leased, sold or given to Godwin, Earl of Wessex, an action that angered the monks of the cathedral, and may have contributed to William of Malmesbury's dislike of the archbishop and willingness to fabricate a story about him being mistreated.
He is considered a saint, with his feast day on 28 October.
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, and crowned Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
as king of England.
Biography
Eadsige was a royal priest for King Cnut before Cnut arranged for him to become a monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
at Christ Church, Canterbury about 1030. About 1035, he served as a suffragan or coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
to Archbishop Æthelnoth of Canterbury, with his see located at the church of St. Martin in Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. He was translated to the Archbishopric of Canterbury in 1038 after Æthelnoth's death. In 1040, he journeyed to Rome to receive his pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
from Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX , born Theophylactus of Tusculum, was Pope on three occasions between 1032 and 1048. One of the youngest popes, he was the only man to have been Pope on more than one occasion and the only man ever to have sold the papacy.-Biography:Benedict was born in Rome as Theophylactus, the...
.
Eadsige may have crowned Harthacnut in 1040, but he definitely crowned Edward the Confessor on 3 April 1043 along with Ælfric Puttoc, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
. In 1044, Eadsige, wishing to withdraw from his see because of ill-health, appears to have approached King Edward and Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex , was one of the most powerful lords in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great and his successors. Cnut made him the first Earl of Wessex...
, about temporarily consecrating Siward
Siward (Abbot of Abingdon)
Siward was Abbot of Abingdon in Berkshire and Bishop of St Martin's.Siward was a monk at Glastonbury until he was appointed Abbot of Abingdon in 1030. He was made Bishop of St Martins in 1044, but resigned and died in 1048 .- References :*Kelly, S. E. 2000. Charters of Abingdon, part 1....
, abbot of Abingdon
Abingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery also known as St Mary's Abbey located in Abingdon, historically in the county of Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
in Eadsige's place. This retirement lasted until 1048, when Siward became ill and returned to Abingdon to die within eight weeks. While he was archbishop, he also was sheriff of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
relates a story that Siward deprived Eadsige of food during Edsige's illness and because of this Siward was not allowed to succeed Eadsige, but had to settle for the see of Rochester instead. However this probably is a fabrication to account for the fact that Siward did not become archbishop after Eadsige, for William had confused Siward, the abbot, with a different Siward, this one Siward
Siward, Bishop of Rochester
Siward was a medieval Bishop of Rochester.-Life:Siward was abbot of Chertsey Abbey, a Benedictine abbey in Surrey before he was selected for the see of Rochester. He was consecrated in 1058. He died in 1075. His death was commemorated on 30 October, so he probably died on that date in 1075...
of Rochester, who was Bishop of Rochester
Bishop of Rochester
The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
from 1058 to 1075. The see of Worcester preserved a tradition that in about 1047 it was Eadsige, along with Lyfing
Lyfing of Winchester
Lyfing of Winchester , also known as Livingus or Lifing, was an Anglo-Saxon prelate who served as Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Crediton and Bishop of Cornwall.-Life:...
the Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
, who forced Sweyn Godwinson
Sweyn Godwinson
Sweyn Godwinson , also spelled Swein, was the eldest son of Earl Godwin of Wessex, and brother of Harold II of England.- Early life :...
to give up his wife who had been the abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Leominster Abbey
Leominster Abbey
Leominster abbey was an Anglo-Saxon monastery established at Leominster in the county of Hereford, England. The name of the town refers to its minster, a settlement of clergy living a communal life....
before Sweyn abducted her.
Eadsige died on 29 October 1050 or possibly just sometime in October of 1050. During his occupation of the see, many of the lands of the see were either leased, sold or given to Godwin, Earl of Wessex, an action that angered the monks of the cathedral, and may have contributed to William of Malmesbury's dislike of the archbishop and willingness to fabricate a story about him being mistreated.
He is considered a saint, with his feast day on 28 October.