Æthelstan Ætheling
Encyclopedia
Æthelstan Ætheling early or mid 980s to 25 June 1014, was the eldest son of King Æthelred the Unready by his first wife Ælfgifu
and the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death. He made his first appearance as a witness to a charter of his father in 993. He probably spent part of his childhood at Æthelingadene, Dean in west Sussex, and his paternal grandmother Ælfthryth may have played an important part in his upbringing. Almost nothing is known of his life, although he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeforth
and Morcar, two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands
.
In 1013 King Æthelred was forced into temporary exile in Normandy, and while it is not known what became of Æthelstan and his surviving full brothers, Edmund Ironside
and Eadwig
, during the reign of King Sweyn, they probably remained somewhere in England. Æthelstan's last appearance is in a charter dated 1013.
Æthelstan was a "warrior prince" and by his death he had accumulated a large collection of swords, prized war horses and combat equipment. In his will, copies of which still survive, and which was made on the day of his death, he left Edmund Ironside his most prized possession, a sword which had once belonged to Offa of Mercia
, together with some of his estates and other pieces of his war gear. To his other full brother, Eadwig, he gave another piece from his large weapon collection, a silver-hilted sword. Much of his remaining land and wealth was divided between churches, friends and servants. He also made bequests to his sword-sharpener and stag huntsman.
While he mentions his father, grandmother and foster-mother in his will, his own mother and her soul are completely omitted. He also makes no mention of his stepmother or half-brothers, suggesting a division within the royal family at the time. He was buried at the Old Minster, Winchester
, the first burial there of someone who was not king since Edward the Elder
's brother, Æthelweard, in 922.
Ælfgifu of York
Ælfgifu of York was the first wife of King Æthelred , by whom she bore many offspring, including Edmund Ironside. It is most probable that she was a daughter of Thored, earl of southern Northumbria....
and the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death. He made his first appearance as a witness to a charter of his father in 993. He probably spent part of his childhood at Æthelingadene, Dean in west Sussex, and his paternal grandmother Ælfthryth may have played an important part in his upbringing. Almost nothing is known of his life, although he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeforth
Sigeferth (died 1015)
Sigeferth was, along with his brother Morcar, described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as "chief thegn of the Seven Burghs"....
and Morcar, two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
.
In 1013 King Æthelred was forced into temporary exile in Normandy, and while it is not known what became of Æthelstan and his surviving full brothers, Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside or Edmund II was king of England from 23 April to 30 November 1016. His cognomen "Ironside" is not recorded until 1057, but may have been contemporary. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it was given to him "because of his valour" in resisting the Danish invasion led by Cnut...
and Eadwig
Eadwig Ætheling
Eadwig Ætheling was the fifth of the six sons of King Æthelred the Unready) and his first wife, Ælfgifu...
, during the reign of King Sweyn, they probably remained somewhere in England. Æthelstan's last appearance is in a charter dated 1013.
Æthelstan was a "warrior prince" and by his death he had accumulated a large collection of swords, prized war horses and combat equipment. In his will, copies of which still survive, and which was made on the day of his death, he left Edmund Ironside his most prized possession, a sword which had once belonged to Offa of Mercia
Offa of Mercia
Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald after defeating the other claimant Beornred. In the early years of Offa's reign it is likely...
, together with some of his estates and other pieces of his war gear. To his other full brother, Eadwig, he gave another piece from his large weapon collection, a silver-hilted sword. Much of his remaining land and wealth was divided between churches, friends and servants. He also made bequests to his sword-sharpener and stag huntsman.
While he mentions his father, grandmother and foster-mother in his will, his own mother and her soul are completely omitted. He also makes no mention of his stepmother or half-brothers, suggesting a division within the royal family at the time. He was buried at the Old Minster, Winchester
Old Minster, Winchester
The Old Minster was the Anglo-Saxon cathedral for the diocese of Wessex and then Winchester from 660 to 1093. It stood on a site immediately north of and partially beneath its successor, Winchester Cathedral....
, the first burial there of someone who was not king since Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
's brother, Æthelweard, in 922.
Sources
- Anglo-Saxon will: S 1503 (AD 1014)
- Barlow, Frank. Edward the Confessor. Berkeley (CA), 1970
- Simon Keynes, Æthelstan Ætheling, 2004, Oxford Online DNB
- Pauline StaffordPauline StaffordPauline Stafford is Professor Emerita of Early Medieval History at Liverpool University in England. Her work focuses on the history of women and gender in England from the eighth to the early twelfth centuries, and on the same topics in Frankish history during the eighth and ninth centuries...
, Queen Emma & Queen Edith, Blackwell, 2001
External links
- "Æthelstan 62 (Male)." Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England.