Æthelstan Ætheling
Æthelstan Ætheling (Old English: Æþelstan Æþeling), 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.
Æthelstan
Æthelstan or Athelstan (Old English: Æþelstan, Æðelstān, meaning "noble stone"; c. 894 – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first wife, Ecgwynn. Modern historians regard him as the first King of England and one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings. He never married, and was succeeded by his half-brother, Edmund.
When Edward died in July 924, Æthelstan was accepted by the Mercians as king. His half-brother Ælfweard may have been recognised as king in Wessex, but died within weeks of their father's death. Æthelstan still encountered resistance in Wessex for several months, and was not crowned until September 925. In 927 he conquered the last remaining Viking kingdom, York, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England. In 934 he invaded Scotland and forced Constantine II to submit to him, but Æthelstan's rule was resented by the Scots and Vikings, and in 937 they invaded England. Æthelstan defeated them at the Battle of Brunanburh, a victory which gave him great prestige both in the British Isles and on the Continent. After his death in 939 the Vikings seized back control of York, and it was not finally reconquered until 954.
Æthelstan (disambiguation)
Æthelstan (also written Aethelstan, Athelstan or Athelstane) is an Anglo-Saxon name derived from the Old English language Æthel (noble) and stane (stone).
It can refer to:
People
Æthelstan (bishop of Hereford)
Æthelstan (or Athelstan; died 1056) was a medieval Bishop of Hereford.
Æthelstan was consecrated between 1013 and 1016. Before his death, he had been blind for 13 years, and Tremerig was appointed as a suffragan bishop to assist Æthelstan. Tremerig died shortly before Æthelstan did. Because of his blindness, the task of helping defend the border against the Welsh fell to the bishops of Worcester.
Æthelstan died on 10 February 1056. His death may have been from old age, or it may have been as a consequence of the burning of his cathedral by the Welsh shortly before. After his death, he was considered for sainthood.
Citations
References
External links
Podcasts:
