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Summary
- England in the 9th century
- Family and early years
- Marriage and joint rule in Mercia
- Sole ruler of Mercia and later years
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Æthelflæd!
Æthelflæd, the eldest child of Alfred the Great and Ealhswith, was born during a period when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were threatened by the Great Heathen Army invasions. Wessex and Mercia had been allies against the Vikings for many years, and this was further fortified by the marriage between Æthelflæd and Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians. The two ruled jointly until Aethelred’s death in 911, after which Æthelflæd became Lady of the Mercians. She exercised considerable authority and contributed to Anglo-Saxon successes during her rule.
A 13th-century depiction of Æthelflæd
England in the 9th century
- From the 6th century, England consisted of seven principal, autonomous Anglo-Saxon kingdoms under the collective name of Heptarchy. The four main kingdoms included East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex whilst the three minor kingdoms were Essex, Kent and Sussex. Alongside the seven kingdoms, a number of subkingdoms and territories also existed and fluctuated abruptly during this period. Similarly, the leading kingdoms often changed.
- By the 7th century, the rulers of Northumbria and Wessex had become powerful forces in their own right.
- In the 8th century, Mercia rose to dominance over the other kingdoms. Its supremacy lasted until 825, when it faced a decisive defeat at the hands of Wessex at the Battle of Ellendun.
- Following this, the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex formed an alliance, which played a crucial role in resisting Viking invasions later on. By 829, the Heptarchy period had concluded.
- In 865, the Great Heathen Army of the Vikings had landed in East Anglia with the aim of conquering the four main kingdoms constituting England. Scandinavian raids were greatly feared by the people of England.
- East Anglia was compelled to pay for peace, and Northumbria was conquered by the Vikings. At the time, Ethelred I was the ruler of Wessex. His brother Alfred fought alongside him when the Great Heathen Army forced through the adjoining kingdom of Mercia in 868.
- By the end of 870, the Vikings successfully made their way into Wessex and several battles occurred with mixed results.
- Ethelred I who was wounded from the battles died in 871. Consequently, Alfred found himself thrust into the role of king of Wessex. Alfred soon offered payment to the Vikings in exchange for peace, which the latter accepted. In the following years, the Vikings drifted between Northumbria and Mercia, whilst the Anglo-Saxon leaders negotiated peace.
Family and early years of Æthelflæd
- Born around 870, Æthelflæd was the eldest child of Alfred of Wessex and Ealhswith. Her father became king of Wessex in 1871. Meanwhile, her mother descended from the Mercian royal house. Æthelflæd had four younger siblings.
Family tree of Æthelflæd
- Not much is known about Æthelflæd’s childhood. During her childhood, her father was concerned about the defence of Wessex against the Vikings.
- When her brother Edward was born around 874, he became the ætheling, a prince of the royal house who was suitable for kingship. This meant that Edward was intended to succeed their father as ruler of Wessex.
- In 878, the Vikings attacked a royal stronghold in Wiltshire where Alfred had been staying. With a little band, Alfred fled to Somerset at Athelney and successfully mounted a resistance campaign against the Vikings. This was regarded as the lowest point in the history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms when most of England had fallen to the Vikings except for Wessex.
- At the Battle of Edington in 878, Alfred and his warband which came from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire successfully defended Wessex from the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum.
- This resulted in a treaty between the two parties later the same year and the Christian baptism of Guthrum.
- A period of relative peace followed the signing of the treaty. Alfred was spared any significant conflicts in this period. However, a number of Viking raids and incursions persisted.
- In 886, Alfred had occupied London, which had traditionally been a Mercian town, and successfully recovered it from the Vikings.
- It is suggested that Anglo-Saxon rule had been restored in London a few years earlier after the town suffered tremendously from several Viking settlements.
- This united the people of England under his rule with Alfred adopting the title King of the Anglo-Saxons.
- The creation of a united Wessex/Mercian realm was fortified by the submission of Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians.
- Shortly after the capture of London, Alfred further sealed the alliance with Mercia by arranging the marriage between Aethelred and Æthelflæd. The marriage is likely to have occurred as early as 882 and not later than 887. This union proved beneficial to Alfred’s works and to the welfare of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Depiction of Æthelflæd
Marriage and joint rule in Mercia
- Soon after the marriage, Æthelflæd gave birth to their only child, a daughter called Ælfwynn. Aethelred, who was Lord of the Mercians since 879, later joined Alfred and Edward in defending their kingdoms against Viking attacks, which were renewed in 892. Nevertheless, he also personally ruled Mercia with Æthelflæd.
- Since much of Mercia remained notably stable during the Viking attacks, it managed to maintain significant intellectual and religious continuity. This was supported by Aethelred and Æthelflæd.
- The couple extended this religious development into other less stable regions of the kingdom through generous donations to monastic communities.
- In fact, Berkeley Abbey was granted privileges in 883, while the church in Worcester received a charter in the 890s. Furthermore, the couple supported Mercia’s long tradition of venerating royal saints.
- At the close of the 9th century, Aethelred and Æthelflæd fortified Worcester with Alfred’s permission. The church was granted a half share of the rights over the city, including land rents and justice revenues.
- In return, the cathedral community pledged to dedicate psalms and masses in honour of Aethelred and Æthelflæd. This marked a shift from ecclesiastical to secular control of the city.
- In 901, Aethelred and Æthelflæd gave land and a golden chalice weighing thirty mancuses to the shrine of St Mildburg at Much Wenlock church.
- In 904, they were granted a lease on land in the city, including much of its river frontage, allowing the Mercian rulers to profit from the city.
- When Aethelred’s health declined as early as 902, Æthelflæd began to take on the de facto leadership of Mercia.
- Whilst Aethelred still witnessed charters at the time, Æthelflæd assumed the responsibility of granting of charters for the fortification of several towns.
- When the Norse Vikings joined the Danes in attacking Chester in 907, their attempt failed, partly due to the town’s fortifications and Æthelflæd’s influence in persuading some attackers to switch sides.
Sole ruler of Mercia and later years of Æthelflæd
- Following Aethelred’s death in 911, Æthelflæd became Myrcna hlædige, or Lady of the Mercians. Unlike other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Mercia had a tradition of queens wielding significant influence. Æthelflæd benefitted from this practice, allowing her to play a crucial role in early 10th-century England.
- Meanwhile, Edward took over responsibility for the Mercian towns of London and Oxford, which Alfred had previously entrusted to the Mercians. This loss of territory was likely accepted by Æthelflæd, in return for Edward’s recognition of her authority in Mercia.
- Æthelflæd and Edward then strengthened the security of Wessex and Mercia against Viking attacks. They did this by continuing their father’s burghal system. Additionally, both utilised military force in establishing a ‘south-centred, Anglo-Saxon kingdom’.
- A strategic pattern with respect to the subjugation of the Vikings can be distinguished from the burh construction:
- A burh would be constructed.
- A Viking army from the area would then submit to the Anglo-Saxons.
- The people in the area who were conquered by the Vikings would also submit.
- Acceptance of the overlordship of Æthelflæd and Edward.
- Æthelflæd oversaw the construction of burhs in Mercia, including those at Bridgnorth in 912, at Tamworth and Stafford in 913, at Warwick and Chirbury, as well as at Runcorn on the River Mersey and possibly at Hereford and Shrewsbury.
- Her programme of burh construction involved repairs and the addition of defences. To regain the territories believed to rightfully belong to the Anglo-Saxon people, the siblings used their armies and navies in imposing their authority.
- Evidently, the burh constructions employed by the two rulers allowed the acknowledgement of Anglo-Saxon overlordship in Danelaw.
- Æthelflæd played an essential role in the Anglo-Saxon success during 917-918. She launched her own offensive campaigns which led to the capture of Derby and Leicester.
- Consequently, the residents of York, including a group of Christian Vikings, considered an alliance with her to ward off attacks from the Irish Vikings. However, her death impeded this alliance.
- Following Æthelflæd’s death in June 918 at Tamworth, her daughter Ælfwynn became the ruler of Mercia as the Second Lady of the Mercians for a few months. Æthelflæd was buried with her husband in their foundation, St Oswald’s Minster. Edward eventually assumed the title of King of Wessex and Mercia.
Frequently Asked Questions About Æthelflæd
- Who was Æthelflæd?
Æthelflæd was the daughter of King Alfred the Great and the ruler of Mercia after her husband, Æthelred, died.
- What was Æthelflæd’s role in fighting the Vikings?
She led successful campaigns against the Danish Vikings, recapturing key towns like Derby and Leicester. Her strategies, including building fortifications and alliances, helped weaken Viking control in England.
- Was Æthelflæd a queen?
No, Æthelflæd was never crowned as a queen. Instead, she ruled Mercia as “Lady of the Mercians” after her husband’s death. However, she effectively acted as a queen in everything but title.