Edmund I of England

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Edmund I
King of England
King of England
Reign27 October 939 – 26 May 946
PredecessorAthelstan
SuccessorEdred
Born921
Wessex, England
Died(946-05-26)May 26, 946
Pucklechurch, Wessex, England
Burial
SpouseÆlfgifu; Æthelflæd of Damerham
IssueEadwig
Edgar
FatherEdward the Elder
MotherEdgiva of Kent

Edmund I (922 – 26 May 946), the Elder, the Deed-Doer or the Magnificent, was King of England from 939 until his death.[1] He was a son of Edward the Elder and a half-brother of Athelstan. Edmund was the first king to start his rule with a united England.[1]

Early in his rule, the Norse king, Olaf Guthfrithson, took back much of the north of England. By 941, Edmund regained his northern lands from the Norse. He defeated a revolt by the Welsh and killed the Scottish King of Strathclyde, Donald MacDonald. He signed a treaty with Malcolm I of Scotland and set up a policy of safe borders.[1]

He was married twice. With is first wife, St. Aelfgith, he had two children who became King Eadwig All-Fair and King Edgar the Peacemaker. After she died in 944 Edmund married Ethelflaed of Damerham. They did not have children.[1]

During the Feast of St. Augustine, on 26 May 946, at Pucklechurch in Gloucester, Edmund was killed fighting a thief who would not leave the feast.[2] He was succeeded by his brother Edred. Edmund is buried at Glastonbury Abbey.[1]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ford, David Nash (June 6, 2004). "EBK: Edmund the Magnificent". Early British Kingdoms. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
  2. "Edmund I the Elder". English Monarchs - Kings and Queens of England. Retrieved 2009-11-14.