King Eadwig the All-Fair
King Eadwig ('the All-Fair') was the elder son of Edmund I & Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury, and king of England from 955-957 and of Wessex from 957-959. A handsome but foolish king, he lost the favour of his court and the church. Powerful ealdormen soon left to support his younger brother. Mercia and Northumbria were lost, and Eadwig died suspiciously at just 18, only 4 years into his reign.
| Born | 941 |
| Parents | Edmund I the Magnificent & Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury |
| Married | Aelfgifu |
| Children | None |
| Died | 1 October 959, buried at the New Minster, Winchester (18) |
| Reign | 955 - 959 (4) |
| Crowned | 26 January 956, Kingston upon Thames (14) |
| Predecessor | Eadred (uncle) |
| Successor | Edgar the Peaceful (brother) |
| House | Wessex |
Life Events of King Eadwig
941
Eadwig (Edwy) is born to Edmund I and Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury.
956
Eadwig is crowned King of England on 26 January at Kingston upon Thames.
956
During his coronation feast, Eadwig sneaks away to a side chamber with noblewoman Aethelgifu and her daughter, Aelfgifu. Archbishop Oda notices the king's absence, and sends St Dunstan, Abbot of Glastonbury and Cynesige, Bishop of Lichfield to look for him. They find the king in bed, without his crown, alongside the mother and daughter. Infuriated, they demand Eadwig's return to the coronation. The bed clothes were ripped off, and the king was humiliated. A row broke out, and Eadwig finally returned to the feast, with his crown intact.
956
Later in the year, Dunstan is forced into exile by Eadwig. The powerful ealdorman, Aethelstan 'Half-King' of Mercia and East Anglia resigns. Eadwig begins removing more of his father's old advisers from court, replacing them with his close favourites.
957
Mercia and Northumbria renounce their allegiance to King Eadwig, and support his younger brother, Edgar instead. Eadwig is demoted to King of Wessex, with the River Thames as a northern border to his kingdom. However, charters continue to show Eadwig as 'Rex Anglorum', King of the English, while Edgar is titled 'King of the Mercians'.
958
Eadwig's marriage to Aelfgifu is successfully annulled by the church.
959
Still in his teens, King Eadwig dies under suspicious circumstances. He is buried at the New Minster in Winchester. His younger brother, Edgar who is already king of Mercia and Northumbria, becomes king of all England.
Interesting Facts About King Eadwig
Marriage
Eadwig married Aelfgifu against the church's wishes, as they were 3rd cousins. Aelfgifu's brother was Aethelweard the Chronicler, who was descended from King Aethelred I of Wessex, Alfred's brother. Eadwig was the great-grandson of Alfred, and therefore great-great-nephew of Aethelred.Civil War
Eadwig's reign came to an early end under suspicious circumstances, but this could have actually prevented a civil war. He had lost Mercia and Northumbria to his brother, and if Eadwig had remained alive, he may have found himself fighting his own brother for Wessex.Epithet
Eadwig was know by the epithet 'the All-Fair'. It seems this is what the local people called him, which derived from his great beauty.Generosity
For all of Eadwig's faults, his generosity was not one of them. In 956, he gave 60 gifts of land away, which amounted to 5% of all Anglo-Saxon charters. No other European ruler had come close to that until the 12th century.
FAQs About the King
Who was King Eadwig?
King Eadwig was the elder son of Edmund I. He is also known as Edwy, and has the epithet 'the All-Fair'.What happened at King Eadwig's Coronation?
King Eadwig disappeared with 2 women during his coronation feast, and was soon discovered in bed with them by St Dunstan and the Bishop of Lichfield.
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The Anglo-Saxon Kings of England
