Eadwig

Eadwig (d. 959), king of England (955–9). The elder son of King Edmund, Eadwig succeeded at the age of about 15 on the death of his uncle Edred. A desire to move away from those who had been influential in the reigns of his father and uncle may explain the confiscation of his grandmother's property, the exile of Abbot Dunstan, and the retirement to a monastery of senior ealdorman Æthelstan ‘Half-King’, all in 956. Rivalry at court may also explain opposition to his marriage to Ælfgifu, his third cousin once removed, and their separation in 958 on the grounds of consanguinity. The succession in 957 of his younger brother as king of the Mercians and Northumbrians has been interpreted as revolt against Eadwig's rule, but contemporary sources suggest it was a peaceful, planned event with Edgar recognizing Eadwig's overriding authority. Ælfgifu's brother Æthelweard in his Chronicon says Eadwig was known as ‘All-Fair’ and that he ‘deserved to be loved’.

Barbara Yorke