Biography Æthelflæd, lady of the Mercians, ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 911 until her death in 918. In 911, Aethelred died, and the ealdormen of Mercia swore allegiance to her. It is a testament both to her upbringing and her individual intellect and pride. Eldest child of King Alfred of Wessex, Aethelflaed was cherished by her father and received an education normally reserved for a royal son. Concerned about any future Mercian uprisings, the exiled Ælfwynn was quickly ‘persuaded’ by her uncle to keep a low profile and consequently lived the rest of her life in a nunnery! She engaged them in Wales in 916 and 917, and then moved north to Derby and Leicester in 918. She fortified cities and towns along her border, strengthened and refurbished old Roman strongholds, and created more fortified and defended towns along the borders of Mercia In 911 AD, Aethelred died, and Aethelflaed became the sole ruler of Mercia, adopting the title Lady of Mercia. Dec 2, 2018 - THE LAST KINGDOM season 3 is available to watch on Netflix now. Æthelflæd presumably died by about 963 as Edgar remarried then. In part, it was a response to Aethelflaed’s abilities and the confidence the nobles had in her leadership. He confronts her and she tells him that his men will revile him if he lets Aethelflaed die. The Last Kingdom follows the conflict between the Saxons and the Danes as they each attempt to gain control of British kingdoms. Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians was a significant figure in English history. Unfortunately Æthelflæd never reached York to see its citizens pay homage. He was originally named Uhtred but his father disowned him after he became a Christian and a priest. King Egbert, later designated the first king of England, began his reign in the 9 th century, when England was fragmented into multiple small kingdoms and under attack by Norsemen. Æthelflæd’s husband, the Earl of Mercia, died in 911 CE. “The Last Kingdom” Season 4 came to Netflix, bring… [THEORY] Last Kingdom season 5: Who will Aethelflaed’s daughter Aelfwynn marry? Died: 911 AD: Burial: St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester. Ia adalah putri sulung Raja Wessex Alfred Agung dan istrinya Ealhswith.Æthelflæd lahir pada saat puncak serangan-serangan Viking ke tanah Inggris, yang ketika itu terbagi menjadi sejumlah kerajaan termasuk Wessex dan Mercia. Then when Uhtred gives his speech to his men about giving them his oath and sword including how he'd die for them, the camera lingers on Aethelflaed during this. He was one of the first to unify several smaller English kingdoms and was called bretwalda, or “wide ruler” of Anglo-Saxon lands.. Aethelflaed did not have to seek out the love of her people; she earned it because she was a leader who genuinely cared about the welfare of her people. Chron., Canterbury, Worcester, and Abingdon versions; Florence; Æthelweard); she was left with one daughter, after whose birth it is said that she declined incurring the risk of again becoming a mother, declaring that the bringing forth of … In this article, we take a look at the Kings and Queens that ruled over the kingdom for almost half a millennium. The good news is, the ones that do exist are cool as hell. There is a wealth of evidence to support the contention that Mercia was a force to be reckoned with in the Anglo-Saxon period. It fell to Æthelflæd to raise the boy destined to unite the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, and it seems that she instilled in … In Wessex, the role of royal women was one of subservience: Æthelflæd’s mother had only ever held the title of ‘wife of the king’ and signed no charters with her husband. Æthelflæd’s influence continued on after her death in the actions of her nephew, Æthelstan. Few however may realise that some of Winchester’s first settlers arrived there more than 2,000 years ago. With her brother stirring up trouble in Northumbria, things began to deteriorate. SPOILER ALERT: Do not keep reading if you have not watched “The Last Kingdom” Season 4, which dropped April 26 on Netflix. Instead, she died in Tamworth just two weeks before she had planned to visit, and was later buried in St Oswalds Priory in Gloucester. How did the England we know today come into being? Edward the Elder, brother of Æthelflæd and ruler of Wessex (and indeed of all Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England) When Uhtred interrupted Alfred's prayer, Aelswith immediately recommended death as the punishment, which was rather harsh even for her. All the work she had put into settling the kingdom in a peaceful and thoughtful way came to an end. The Ealdormen of marriageable age were all slaughtered. Æthelflæd took advantage of a tradition that granted women in Mercia greater rights. It seems that there was no real serious opposition to Aethelflaed being the sole ruler of the kingdom, despite her being a woman. As a wife, patron and warlord, Æthelflæd helped establish a united England, but as a woman, her place in the histories was reduced, undermined, almost forgotten. When Æthelred died in 911, his wife was declared ‘Lady of the Mercians’ and took over control of the kingdom. In order to ‘seal the deal’, Alfred also decided to marry off his eldest daughter Æthelflæd to Æthelred, even though she was only around 16 years old at the time. Fans are curious about the fate of Princess Aethelflaed but how did the real Aethelflaed die? 2. Æthelflæd (Oudengels: Æðelflæd, Koninkrijk Wessex, rond 869/870 - Tamworth, 918) was de oudste dochter van koning Alfred de Grote van Wessex en zijn echtgenote Ealhswith.Bij Æthelflæds geboorte teisterden de Deense Vikingen het vasteland van West-Europa met hun plundertochten en hadden zij een groot deel van wat nu Engeland is in hun macht. Here’s everything you need to know. School children know all about King Alfred burning the cakes, but more importantly, this Saxon king left behind an extraordinary legacy, reforming the traditions and structure of early English society, maintaining peace and introducing structure, judicial processes and education…. By late 918 Æthelflæd had reached the River Humber, and had even managed to persuade the city of York to pledge alliance to her. For those who didn't know, Netflix's The Last Kingdom is based on a historical novel series by Bernard Cornwell called The Saxon Stories, about 9th and 10th century Britain. He was killed by Judith in the Season 5 after having conspired against Alfred to become the new King. At this point Æthelflæd because the sole ruler of Mercia, and her title became ‘Lady of Mercia’. She was a significant figure in the events leading up to the creation of the kingdom of England.. She was the eldest child of King Alfred of Wessex (reigned 871–899) and his wife, Ealhswith (died 902), who may have been related to the royal house of the … Why did Aethelflaed give up Uhtred’s daughter? Your views could help shape our site for the future. The eastern part of its territory had long been in direct control of the Danish Vikings, with the remaining western part of the kingdom being effectively a puppet of the Vikings. Æthelflæd and Æthelred continued to wage battle against the Danes, focusing on the midlands and into the north, whilst Alfred and his heir – Æthelflæd’s brother Edward – did the same in the south. Often noble women would leave public life and either enter a nunnery for … Æthelflæd, lady of the Mercians, ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 911 until her death in 918. When Æthelred died in 911, Æthelflæd became the ruler of the Mercians in her own right. At about the age of nine she received a different kind of education, in the harsh realities of her turbulent times. However, these raids did not really change how any of Britain was run until 865, just a few years before Æthelflæd was born. In the final year of her life, the people of York pledged to obey her direction (‘rædenne’). Aethelflaed, Anglo-Saxon ruler of Mercia in England and founder of Gloucester Abbey. The plan proved successful, and the Mercians once again strengthened their position. Alfred always knew he needed Uhtred and that he could trust him although he wanted to control him rather than be his friend. Aethelflaed died at Tamworth in 918 and her body was carried 75 miles to Gloucester where she was buried alongside her husband. To … He had been ill since around 902, and after ten years of battling with poor health he finally died in 911. Æthelflæd took advantage of a tradition that granted women in Mercia greater rights. Her father married her to Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians. She may have been the de facto ruler for a few years during her husband's illness. Alfred’s brother was … Alfred’s daughter, Aethelflaed, leaped onto my radar in The Last Kingdom (available on Netflix, though very violent, so don’t watch unless you have a parent’s permission). At the very least, Æthelflæd asks that Æthelred agree not to betroth her to a heartless fool. She’s treated cruelly because as Æthelred points out, Ælfwynn isn’t his daughter. Sadly, he died before seeing his dream come true. Æthelred was the lord of Mercia and the husband of Æthelflæd. Warrior queens are rarer than warrior kings, due to the nature of history's treatment of women in power. Ethelred the Unready, also spelled Aethelred, also called Ethelred II, or Aethelred Unraed, (born 968?—died April 23, 1016, London, England), king of the English from 978 to 1013 and from 1014 to 1016. Alfred agreed to help, and in 886 managed to secure London from the Vikings. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex. Ancestors are fromthe United Kingdom, France. Within a few years, Æthelred and Æthelflæd had their first and only child whom they called Ælfwynn. Edward brought an army to Badbury near Wimborne, but Æthelwold stayed within Wimborne with his men and a nun he had kidnapped, saying that he would live … Not only did she repel Viking invaders through the clever use of BOILING BEER and BEES, she also worked alongside her brother Edward to see through their father's goal of a united England. … Although difficult to date precisely, the Staffordshire Hoard (which in 2009 became the largest cache of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered) is testament to Mercian hegemony in the eighth century. Fans are wondering whether Aethelflaed will die in battle in season five, and Express.co.uk has everything you need to know. These Vikings were actually refugees, driven back from the port of Dublin by an Irish uprising, and who had been given permission to peacefully set up camp outside of Chester under the proviso that they behaved themselves. Also: BEES. Choose Yes please to open the survey in a new browser window or tab, and then complete it when you are ready. Historians do not know much about his first 20 years of rule. When Æthelred died in 911, his wife was declared ‘Lady of the Mercians’ and took over control of the kingdom. Not only did she repel Viking invaders through the clever use of BOILING BEER and BEES, she also worked alongside her brother Edward to see through their father's goal of a united England. In 911 Aethelred was killed in battle with the Danes, and Aethelflaed became the political and military ruler of the Mercians. She was carried 75 miles to be buried at Gloucester in St Oswald’s Priory. During her reign, she was an effective leader. She stood her ground against her manipulative and abusive … Edgar remarried a third time in about 965 to Ælfthryth, who out lived him. Notable ancestors includeAlfred the Great (849-899). 1 Biography 1.1 The Saxon Stories 1.2 The Last Kingdom 1.2.1 Season 2 2 Personality 3 Appearances 3.1 The Saxon Stories 3.2 The Last Kingdom 4 Trivia In "Sword Song", once Erik … The Mercian fyrd and the Welsh battle the Danes at Tettenhall. Aethelflaed becomes sole ruler of Mercia – exceptional at the time anywhere in Europe. One of the most famous battles during this period was against a band of local Vikings outside Chester. When Alfred the Great died in 899, Æthelflæd’s younger brother Edward took over the rule of King of Wessex/sort of King of the Anglo-Saxons, who weren’t exactly united yet, but were on their way. Æthelflæd ou Ethelfleda, probablement née dans les années 870 et morte en 918, est une princesse anglo-saxonne, fille aînée du roi de Wessex Alfred le Grand. In Wessex, the role of royal women was one of subservience: Æthelflæd’s mother had only ever held the title of ‘wife of the king’ and signed no charters with her husband. London had traditionally been a Mercian city, a fortress at the south eastern tip of their territory, so as a token of his victory he handed the city back to Æthelred. She does not take the title Queen but is known as the Lady of the Mercians (Myrcna hlaedige). He captured the eastern Midlands and East Anglia from the Danes in 917 and became ruler of Mercia in 918 upon the death of Æthelflæd… As Æthelflæd reached her teens, her father had begun to push the Vikings out of south eastern England and began to reclaim territory for both his own kingdom of Wessex and his northern ally of Mercia. Æthelflæd fortified settlements and led her armies into Wales and Northumbria. They understood that the old and fragmented Anglo-Saxon kingdoms could not drive back the Vikings alone, and so as soon as Æthelflæd succeeded to the throne, she freely handed both Oxford and London over to Wessex for their own protection. There is a wealth of evidence to support the contention that Mercia was a force to be reckoned with in the Anglo-Saxon period. Æthelflæd dies at Tamworth, before knowing that the Vikings are willing to accept her as overlord at York. Æthelred of Mercia was a main character in both The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series. During her early years, Æthelflæd witnessed her father take back large swathes of England from the Vikings (Danes), starting with the famous battle of Edington in Wiltshire, a key turning point in the Anglo-Saxon campaign against the Vikings. Many of the previous hit and run raids may have been to gather intelligence as well as to plunder. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Alfred died in 899, and Edward continued the fight. When a woman’s husband died, and she was too old to be remarried, she had few options. In Wessex, the role of royal women was one of subservience: Æthelflæd’s mother had only ever held the title of ‘wife of the king’ and signed no charters with her husband. Ethelred was killed in battle against the Vikings in 911, whereupon Aethelflaed, after the Battle of Tettenhall, a great victory over the Vikings, became the effective ruler of Mercia the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle styles her as the 'Lady of the Mercians' (Myrcna … Aethelflaed elevated Mercia from a junior partner to Wessex with her political and military acumen. Tamworth and Stafford remain two valued locations in modern … Æthelstan, Edward’s son, had been sent as a young boy to grow up in Mercian royal court under his aunt’s influence – probably part of Edward’s long-term plan to ensure the people of Mercia continued to support this royal family as their rulers. Edward the Elder, brother of Æthelflæd and ruler of Wessex (and indeed of all Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England). Aethelflaed, Lady of Mercia was a Queen in all but name. Although difficult to date precisely, the Staffordshire Hoard (which in 2009 became the largest cache of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered) is testament to Mercian hegemony in the eighth century. Edgar’s third wife and widow, Ælfthryth , made claims for her son to be king. Aethelred’s army arrives to enter the fray. Copyright © Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. The political circumstances in Mercia at this time are rather unusual as Lord Aethelred died leaving no known close male relatives and any earlier Mercian royal dynasties appear to have ceased to exist or … She was buried at St Peter’s Church in Gloucester, and her title went to her daughter Aelfwynn. Upon hearing of the Viking uprising in the area, Æthelflæd rode north to meet the Danes with a cunning battle plan… she would fight the Vikings outside the city, but would then would fall back and ‘draw’ the Vikings into the city walls. Æthelflæd’s son, Edward, became king in 975 after Edgar’s death. If Aethelhelm felt that Aethelflaed would not be welcome in Wessex, shouldn't he also consider … Aethelflaed became a hunted refugee, along w… Discover the monarchs of the kingdom of Mercia, from King Icel in the early 500’s all the way through to Ælfwynn who annexed the kingdom to Wessex in 918. Prince Ælfweard of Wessex was born circa904 in Wessex, England to Edward the Elder (c870-924) and Ælfflæd (c880-) and died 2 August 924 inOxford, Oxfordshire, England of unspecified causes. Aethelflaed now became ‘Lady of Mercia” a title that designated her Mercia’s sole ruler. To … Æthelflæd was succeeded by her daughter Ælfwynn, although this was a short lived affair as Edward the Elder soon ousted Ælfwynn and dissolved Mercia into the Kingdom of Wessex. She was buried in a church she had ordered to be built, St Oswald's, in Gloucester. Most of our information about Æthelflæd’s reign comes from a narrative of Mercian affairs for the years 904–924, embedded in three manuscripts of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Alfred died in AD 899, putting her brother Edward on the throne of Wessex, who sent his seven-year-old son Athelstan to Mercia to be educated. A group of senior noblemen ceding power to a woman was unprecedented. Her successful political career did not necessarily reflect tolerant contemporary attitudes towards women, and (with one brief exception) she did not pave the way for future Anglo-Saxon female leaders. Portrait of Alfred the Great, Samuel Woodforde (1763-1817). Aethelflaed’s only … As a sign of his gratitude, Æthelred agreed to sign an alliance with Alfred, a pact that effectively forced Mercia to acknowledge Wessex as the dominant Anglo-Saxon power in central and southern England. Aethelflaed: Educational Resource Pack 7 Background Information and a detailed timeline for Aethelflaed – Lady of the Mercians 870 Birth of Aethelflaed, eldest child of Alfred and his wife Ealhswith of Mercia. became ruler of western Mercia in 882, he decided to try and retake control over his lands. Alfred died on 26 October 899, and Edward succeeded. Over the following year, this brother / sister alliance continued to drive the Danes out of central and southern England. Legend has it that Æthelflæd actually brought a great deal of military leadership and strategy to the table, including the tactic of fortifying the Mercian borders whenever they had driven the Danes further back. Æthelflæd and Æthelred continued to wage battle against the Danes, focusing on the midlands and into the north, whilst Alfred and his heir – Æthelflæd’s brother Edward – did the same in the south. It was, however, … He is the exact opposite of her weasel husband. Please consider the environment before printing, All text is © British Library and is available under Creative Commons Attribution Licence except where otherwise stated. Gloucester seems to have been the main seat of Æthelred's and Æthelflæd's power, and before 900 they founded a … Discover the battles and power struggles that helped to create it. I loved Aethelflaed’s storyline (from season 2) so much, I couldn’t help but Google what happened to her later! As noted before, Aethelred and Aethelflaed had only one daughter, and the former did not have any known close male … For example, when discussing what happened during the same months in 916, one version of the Chronicle describes Edward building a burh, while the other details Æthelflæd’s military campaign in Wales. How did the real Aethelflaed get to rule Mercia? If the people of Wessex were truly mad at Aethelflaed for forcing the battle, shouldn't the Mercians feel the same way? Æthelflæd is concerned about the fate of their daughter should he die. What really happened to Aethelflaed? Æthelflæd was initially succeeded by her daughter, Ælfwynn. How did Æthelflæd rule? After Æthelred's death in 911, Æthelflæd ruled as "Lady of the Mercians", but she did not inherit the Mercian territories of London and Oxford, which were taken by Edward. Here are the most powerful warrior queens in history. For others named Æthelred, see Æthelred of Wessexor Æthelred Mucel. The protagonist (both in the show and in the books) is Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a man born to a Saxon lord but captured and adopted by the Danes. Although we don’t know for sure, the Mercian Witan trusted Aethelflaed and her daughter and they may have named Aelfwyn as her successor. A depiction of Aethelflaed in a stained glass window in the cloisters of Worcester Cathedral English Mercia – Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire – was unusually stable during the Viking age compared to the … Aethelflaed quickly became one of the most popular characters in The Last Kingdom as she represents the empowerment of women. King Edward the Elder decides that the Mercians might try for independence under Ælfwynn, and his strength against the Danes is in Wessex and Mercia being united. Edward's first problem was the revolt of Æthelwold, one of Alfred's nephews (son of Alfred's older brother Æthelred I). When they're even allowed power, that is. Consort: Æthelflæd: Issue: Ælfwynn: Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians (or Ealdorman Æthelred of Mercia; died 911) became ruler of English Mercia shortly after the death of its last king, Ceolwulf II in 879. 870 – meninggal 12 Juni 918) adalah penguasa Mercia di daerah tengah Inggris sejak 911 hingga akhir hayatnya. Alfred had made an alliance with Æthelred, lord of the Mercians. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The daughter of King Alfred of Wessex and the wife of Lord Aethelred of Mercia, she bucked the trend for women in tenth century Britain by being a ruler in her own right. Aelswith, on the other hand, believed that everyone who didn't subscribe to her faith should die. Unfortunately this was one of many battles in which Æthelred was not involved. Æthelflæd wants to personally choose someone suitable so that the Kingdom will … Then the raiders became colonizers and everything changed. The eldest child of the King Alfred of Wessex, Æthelflæd was thought to have been a strong, independent and well educated lady. When Æthelred died in 911, his wife was declared ‘Lady of the Mercians’ and took over control of the kingdom. Sable informs them that King Æthelred has conspired to kill Lady Æthelflæd, and so she has hidden in a nunnery in Wincelcumb. In that last year of her life, Viking leaders in Leicester offered to submit to her rule and there were rumours that powerful Viking leaders in York might form an alliance with Mercia. Modern day visitors to Winchester can’t help but soak in the history as they wander through the ancient streets of this small city. How did the real Aethelflaed get to rule Mercia? How did Æthelflæd rule? He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. 5621230. In 911, Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians, died, most likely from the illness that had been plaguing him for years.