Ethelburg (fl. 722)

views updated

Ethelburg (fl. 722)

Saxon queen.

The political dynamics of early English society offered many opportunities for royal women to exert power, both in making laws and on the battlefield. Ethelburg was one of many Saxon queens who did so, though we know little about her life. Ruler of the Ine tribe, she led armies, successfully planned battle strategies, and added territories to her kingdom through her military prowess.

Laura York , freelance writer in medieval and women's history, Riverside, California