King Edward the Elder
England's Winch Against the Danes
Born from Greatness
Edward the Elder is the first of eleven Kings of England to be named Edward. Modern readers are usually aware of the eight since William the Conqueror landed on this pleasant land, but the Anglo-Saxon Kings are often forgotten in this list, and Edward the Elder’s story would make a good case for epitomising this neglect or amnesia about the Anglo-Saxon Kings of old. By most objective measures, Edward was a brilliant ruler over his Kingdoms. Whether that be in terms of stability and defence of his throne and land, or whether that be the expansion of his borders, or whether that be the wealth that was generated from this stability, Edward does not warrant the neglect that he is now given. However, by more subjective measures, the reason for neglect becomes more obvious. Firstly, like most Anglo-Saxon rulers, there is a dearth of primary sources to rely upon. But more importantly, Edward’s story does not capture the imaginations and minds of us. History still tells a story, and if that story isn’t true in a mythological sense, then it is not seen as such an important story. Alfred was ‘the Great’ because of the hardship he endured, and because of how even in the darkest moments of his story, he stayed and fought for his throne, forging and even more powerful and competent nation. It would seem that Edward’s Kingdoms never faced that level of existential threat. Whether this be because of his competence or because of the existing strength of the nation his father had built doesn’t really matter. Edward was born into his role as King of the Anglo-Saxons. He inherited a newly united nation that was to be feared by Danes. He even did one better by expanding the borders of his Kingdoms and staving off rebellions. But the lack of existential threat and mythological veracity to his story places Edward the Elder’s reign into the shadows of history to be dusted off for interesting trivia, rather than profound history about what it means to be English.
Edward the Elder was born from greatness. His father, Alfred the Great had secured the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom by defeating the Viking threats in Wessex and Mercia. Edward inherited these Kingdoms and inherited the same projects and goals as his father, that of defeating the Vikings, uniting the country, expanding the faith, and securing his dynasty. Edward owes a lot of his success to his father, but he was by no means a slacker of a King. Edward was successful in his own right, achieving much for himself. But he stood on the shoulders of a giant. In many ways, Edward was the perfect successor to Alfred, expanding on Alfred’s dreams and goals.
Another testament to the greatness that Edward was born from is that his sister Æthelflæd was also a highly competent leader and brilliant military strategist. The strength of Alfred’s blood clearly ran strong in Edward and Æthelflæd. Much of the success that Edward experienced as King of the Anglo-Saxons was at least eased by the competency of a friendly, aligned, and competent ruler of Mercia that also happened to be his sister.
Edward was dealt a pretty good hand in his rule. Not perfect by any means, but a good hand, and he played it well. Edward solidified the vision of an Anglo-Saxon Kingdom, Edward expanded the territory back into the Danelaw, Edward legitimised the claims for his successors, and Edward further set the stage for English unification to be built around an Anglo-Saxon vision of leadership. The benefits that his father and sister bestowed upon his rule cannot be understated, but neither can Edward’s unique rulership as King of the Anglo-Saxons. A streak of ruthlessness permeates throughout Edward’s history that tells of a different side to Edward the Elder when compared to the compassionate and forgiving nature of his father. This streak of ruthlessness hints at a nature to Edward wanting to distinguish himself from his father, and perhaps calls to a need for a more merciless strategy in order to expand his Kingdom. One would certainly not be wrong in assuming that perhaps the ease at which Edward seems to have had in maintaining his Kingdom compared to his father is perhaps due to this streak of cold-hearted calculation that Edward consistently shows.
Life and Legacy in the Shadow of Alfred
Alfred the Great is a monumental figure in English history. He changed the face of England through military, educational, and logistical reform and set the country on a course for unification whilst defending it from barbaric, heathen invaders. Edward the Elder was born in the shadow of this great figure and has been unable to escape the darkness that these feats cast him into. However, it is because of these feats that Edward was able to enjoy the success that his reign had. Edward was by no means incompetent, and many rulers would have done worse than Edward, allowing their nation to fall into disrepair. Edward did one better than inheriting his father’s nation and expanded its borders. Being a moderately good ruler does not cast oneself out of the shadow of Alfred the Great however, and thus Edward’s legacy is perhaps mildly understated.
The Kingdoms that Alfred defined in his defeat of the Viking armies were based on a strong, decentralised military system, and also decentralisation of literacy. The byrgh system was pioneered by Alfred, and adopted and extended by his son, Edward. Edward didn’t just follow Alfred in policy though, he followed Alfred in military prowess, proving himself to be a more than capable leader on the battlefield. The strength of the House of Wessex grew strong in Alfred’s children with Æthelflæd exhibiting the same qualities.
Edward was born and raised during the invasions of the Great Heathen and Great Summer Armies of Vikings. It is during this time of trial that Edward would have received his academic and physical education. So, he was quite literally forged in the furnace of adversity and was certainly not some pompous Prince grown fat from his father’s victories. No, Edward was raised in tough times and would have learnt a lot from his father’s trials and tribulations in dealing with the Vikings both in terms of military strategy and in terms of leadership style. Edward’s name is derived from Old-English to mean “wealth-guard”, and it is an interesting choice of name by Alfred to give the future King in 874 A.D. when your Kingdom is at its lowest point, being overrun by a foreign force and you have been deposed from your seat of power. From his time of birth, Edward would see the wealth that he would need guard expand and expand from a small refuse in a swamp where Alfred mounted his defence of the throne, to encompass all of Wessex, Kent, and Mercia. It is with this expansion of territory that Edward’s burden as guardian of wealth would also expand. Edward would grow to be a strong and capable leader, that certainly rose to meet this responsibility, and even did one better. I think that this naming of Edward is so apt for his story as well, because the name is a gift from his father. Like most of Edward’s rule, it is the gift of his father that defines it. His father defined Edward’s system of governance, Edward’s education, Edward’s mission, Edward’s Kingdoms, and even Edward’s name and purpose. The shadow Alfred cast was long indeed, and from the perspective of his son, perhaps longer than most would see.
The Kingdom that Alfred set up would prove to be a tremendously stable launching pad for Edward to not only defend his Kingdom, but to launch his expansions. Alfred’s construction of the byrghs revolutionised the Anglo-Saxon town and the Anglo-Saxon military to produce a system of fortified settlements and trade centres. Each byrgh would also sustain a permanently armed garrison with obligations for military service. The rota system of the byrghs also guaranteed a constantly refreshed army without threatening the local economy that produced the goods that the country depended upon. The educational reform that Alfred enacted in his Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms meant that the elite class was required to be educated, and that literacy became a wide-spread tool. This improved communication and legal enforcement throughout the Kingdoms. It also meant that Anglo-Saxon England became a magnet for learned scholars, attracting intellectual wealth, which could be transferred to the ruling classes. Alfred also began to delegitimise the claims of his nephews in the latter years of his reign, ensuring that Edward would inherit most of the assets of the crown so that he may better secure the right to rule. Edward was also given opportunities to prove himself on the battlefield during Alfred’s reign, further demonstrating his strength as a military leader. These opportunities that Edward were given by Alfred were an incredible boon that shifted the onus of innovation away from Edward, and put the onus on Edward to continue on the path that Alfred had laid out for him. Edward would not need to reinvent the wheel, he would just need to keep the wheel spinning. Which he did to a significant amount of success. But it is this lack of innovation or distinction in his reign that has left Edward more in the shadows then how other leaders may have been treated should they have achieved what Edward achieved.
Edward’s campaigns throughout 912 to 919 saw the strategies of defence laid out by Alfred being adapted by Edward as a tactic for strategic offence into the Danelaw. Where Alfred fortified towns as a byrgh, Edward would venture into new territory, establish a byrgh, and lay claim to a new swathe of land in the Danelaw. It proved to be a highly successful strategy and is symptomatic of Edward’s reign as a policy enforcer and extension of his father.
The shoes of Alfred the Great were as large as his epitaph would suggest. But Edward did an admirable job in putting on these shoes and taking them on further adventures to consolidate and extend the Kingdoms that his father had laid before him. Whilst his father may have created the shoes, they also fit his son.
Like Father, Like Son, Like Sister
Alfred’s strength of character, his leadership ability, and military aptitude don’t just pass down to his son, but his sister inherits these features as well; striking a formidable and admirable character in the history of Anglo-Saxon England that once again casts a shadow over Edward’s legacy. Having a warlord Queen for a sister that is governing one of your Kingdoms could be seen as a rivalry that takes away from Edward’s achievements. But it is the allegiance and coordination between these two Æthelings that certainly increased the likelihood and facility with which Edward achieved his success. It is unfortunate that once again Edward the Elder is surpassed in fame in the annals of history thanks more to the mythological veracity of a relative, rather than the objective achievements either one of them achieved.
Æthelflæd the warrior Queen married into the throne of Mercia and was the ruler of this Kingdom upon the death of her husband. This led to a coordination and union between Mercia and Wessex that allowed for a synchronised defence against the Vikings and offence into the Danelaw and parts of Wales. The fact that both Æthelflæd and Edward were Æthelings is shown in their distinctive warrior-like leadership styles, leading their armies from the front and conquering the battlefield along with their soldiers. But it is also shown in the distinctive characteristic of settlement that they learned from their father. Both Edward and Æthelflæd used the policy of establishing byrghs in foreign and domestic territory to secure and expand the borders of their Kingdoms. This two-pronged approach into the Danelaw was surely a headache for the Vikings in Northumbria, seeing a united offence into their territory that was not aptly defended against. Further, Æthelflæd ventured on conquests into Wales that certainly took the heat of the Welsh Kingdoms away from Edward’s Wessex. This would allow Edward to consolidate his territory into the Danelaw without having to worry about invasions on his Western border, as he knew his sister would be taking up their attention.
Æthelflæd’s rule in Mercia, solidified in the minds and culture of the people that they could be ruled by a Saxon monarch. The path that this opened up for Edward in securing his dynasty and control over the Anglo-Saxon people of Wessex and Mercia cannot be understated. Had Æthelflæd perished before her husband, it could have led to a vastly different history, one in which the people of Mercia wanted their own ruler. Æthelflæd also raised Edward’s first born, possibly bastard son, Æthelstan. He grew up in the court of Mercia and became an established figure in his own right. This Mercian upbringing likely positioned him better than most to rule over a united Kingdom of Mercia and Wessex. However, it is unlikely that these events would have come to pass without some significant interventions from Edward.
Carving His Own Path
Perhaps where his father was a forgiving Christian, Edward was a merciless one. Whilst Edward gained much, and benefited from the leadership and rule of his sister in Mercia, Edward was certainly a highly competent leader of his own fashion. In the historical account, he has certainly carved out his own distinctive character that differs from his sister and his father in the demonstration of a streak of political ruthlessness. This is seen in his dealing with rebellions, religious conflicts, military expansions, and political manoeuvres. It is this streak of ruthlessness that really separates Edward from his father, and takes him from just being Alfred’s son, maintaining the status quo of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, to being a historical figure in his own right and achieving his own accomplishments. Edward would not relinquish the ability to seize an opportunity in the face of the weakness of his opponents. He would take the initiative whilst his enemy was on the defensive, and exploit that weakness. Time and time again, Alfred would encounter the same enemy on another battlefield because of this lacking ruthlessness. Edward would not make the same mistake, and there is a lack of piety that shows itself in Edward’s story when compared to Alfred’s that may account for this change in character. Alfred was a devout Christian, practicing the act of forgiveness to the extreme, time and time again forgiving his Viking nemesis Guthrum. Edward grew up watching his father make these judgements, and perhaps he did not agree with this policy of offering your enemy a hand when they were on the floor. Perhaps Edward saw the practical and political use of stepping on one’s enemy’s throats whilst they were down.
Early in Edward’s reign he was forced to prove his right to rule through military might. Twice would his throne be threatened by familial rebellions. The Anglo-Saxon right to rule was less well defined than middle-age and modern monarchies. Alfred’s nephews, Edward’s cousins thought that they should inherit the throne. Alfred set up the succession to Edward quite competently, removing a lot of the assets that his nephews were originally entitled to inherit and thus raising the power bestowed to Edward upon Alfred’s death. This would not stop them from attempting to take the throne by force though. Æthelwold mounted a rebellion shortly after Alfred died, aiming to content for the throne before Edward would be coronated as King. Æthelwold mounted a force at Wimborne quite swiftly, and Edward with the vast support of the nobility mounted a force two to three times the size of Æthelwold’s. Edward did not engage Æthelwold’s force for reasons that are not clear. There is a possibility that Edward was waiting for more reinforcements, there is a possibility that Edward was conscious of the safety of a potential sibling that had been kidnapped, labelled as ‘an unnamed nun’, there is a possibility that Edward did not want to slaughter his new citizens so early in his reign, thus generating resentment. Either way, this rebellion mounted to little conflict, and it was likely an intelligent move by Edward as Æthelwold fled the Kingdom into Northumbria to seek refuge.
Æthelwold returned a couple of years later in 902 to mount a second rebellion. Æthelwold landed in Essex and began fighting through Kent in what would appear to be a fiercely fought war. Edward was unable to support his forces in Kent and it has been recorded that all of the nobility and prominent men in Kent were slaughtered at the Battle of the Holme. Whilst the battle was a clear loss for the forces of Edward, this battle ensured the war would be won by Edward as the key fatality from the conflict was Æthelwold himself. Whilst calamitous for the Kingdom of Kent, the outcome was momentous for Edward, and perhaps there was some ruthless scheming that Edward allowed for this Kingdom to fight for its own survival to vanquish his own enemy. The wiping out of this contingent of nobility would later prove beneficial to Edward’s reign as he began to conquer lands in Essex back into the Danelaw, he was able to offer titles and property to Danelaw nobility in his own Kingdom of Kent, thus ensuring their fealty by aligning their success to the prosperity of his Kingdoms. This was clearly not his intention from 15 years previously, but it does show his ruthless practicality in making the best of the situation in order to further his political aims.
Edward would also face more internal disputes that would require a more subtle ruthlessness. Back in Winchester, Edward fell into conflict with the parishioner of the minster there. This falling out amounted to one of the most blatant snubs with Edward funding the design and development of a bigger, grander, more beautiful minster right next door to the old one. The Old Minster that was to be run by the old clergy that had fallen out of his favour and the New Minster was to be run by the Archbishop Plegmund, whom Edward seems to have close ties with. Within a decade the New Minster was to become a renowned site of religious repute in Europe.
Another act of ruthlessness that Edward would perform to secure his Kingdom would be upon the death of his sister Æthelflæd. As has already been established Æthelflæd was a beloved Queen in Mercia, and her rule had established a precedent for female leadership in the Kingdom. She and her husband had left behind a daughter that was to in all likelihood inherit the throne. Upon Æthelflæd’s death however, Edward made a swift trip to the Mercian capital under the auspices of mourning for his sister. His niece however, would not remain in the Mercian capital, as she left with her uncle, Edward. Ælfwynn was led captive into Wessex at which point she disappears from the annals of history. Political abduction is the most fitting assumption for this action, and it completely fits into Edward’s ruthless nature.
The continued and strengthened unification of Mercia and Wessex was clearly paramount for Edward. Upon Edward’s assumption of power in Mercia he would enact a cultural reform that would change the landscape of the Kingdom forever. The byrgh system had only been established by Æthelflæd in newly conquered Danelaw and Wales. Edward however, would begin a process of Saxonising the Kingdom by establish byrghs and shires in Mercia that divided existing tribal borders. This would begin the process of aligning the culture, demographics, and logistics of Mercia with Wessex, Essex, and Kent, whilst simultaneously dividing existing tribal and noble powers so as to negate any potential uprisings in the country. To completely redesign the structure of this Kingdom would take up the majority of Edward’s resources in his latter years, but it shows a merciless will to completely redraw the map of this inherited Kingdom to suit his own desires.
Throughout the years of 910 and 911 Wessex and Mercia performed several successful and coordinated attacks into the Danelaw. This was a newly strengthened alliance, but with the death of Æthelred, King of Mercia, Edward saw an opportunity to consolidate his position in this newly acquired land. Edward moved in and took control of London and Oxford, annexing them from Mercian lands within weeks of Æthelred’s death, once again demonstrating the hard-headed ruthlessness that his father likely wouldn’t have exhibited, noting that Alfred actually gifted London back to Mercia. Throughout these campaigns into the Danelaw, Edward experienced an unblemished record of victory after victory. He was clearly a highly capable military leader that was efficient, capable, and highly confident in his own ability. It is difficult to imagine Edward dealing with the invasion of the Great Heathen and Great Summer Armies in the same way that his father did. Edward would have been much more of an offensive and unforgiving opponent, perhaps opting for a route and slaughter approach, rather than a forgiveness and conversion approach.
The Forgotten but Ideal Successor to Alfred
Edward’s historical legacy is perhaps understated. Living in the shadow of his father, it is easy to dismiss the success of a King that inherited a vast, newly united Kingdom. But in many ways, Edward was the ideal successor to his father. Too many times do we hear of the soft Prince that inherits from the strong father. But Edward did not fall into this trap. Edward was a well-educated, militarily proficient, and as shown, ruthless leader. He was committed to the same vision as his father and even expanded upon that vision. Working to the same objectives of a united Anglo-Saxon England, with a strong dedication to Christianity, Edward continued Alfred’s dream and projects to what some would argue a greater extent than Alfred the Great did himself.
Edward the Elder even continued the Anglo-Saxon project using the same tools that his father did. Edward’s reliance on the byrgh system that his father pioneered would prove invaluable. However, it was under Edward that the byrghs were used on the military offensive into the Danelaw. This established new territory as being under Anglo-Saxon control and being unyieldingly so. Edward would then further use the byrgh and shire system to solidify his position in Mercia following the death of his sister and brother-in-law there. This would divide the current boundaries so as to split up tribes and nobility, thus prohibiting any rebellion from mounting and uniting the country under new borders and allegiances.
Whilst adopting many of the tools that his father pioneered in ruling England, Edward also learnt how not to rule from his father. The pitiless streak that governed Edward’s reign was likely a conscious divergence from his father’s almost relentlessly unforgiving nature. Edward would not take pity or mercy on his enemies. Edward would pounce on his opportunities to consolidate power wherever they popped up. Whether that be in wiping out the nobility of one of his Kingdoms and his rebellious cousin in one battle, whether that be regaining London and Oxford within weeks of his brother-in-law’s death, or whether that be the political abduction of his niece in Mercia to consolidate his claim to the throne, Edward would not miss an opportunity.
The weight of the burden that his father had built in the Anglo-Saxon English project would only weigh on Alfred for a few years. It would weigh on Edward the Elder for his whole life. He who was born “wealth-guard” would see this responsibility grow and grow. He would also see what was required to maintain and grow this Kingdom. So it should come as no surprise that this Prince forged and born between the hammer of an invading Viking onslaught and the anvil of a growing Anglo-Saxon Kingdom should grow to be a ruthlessly competent King that by all measures lived up to the potential as one of Alfred’s sons should. Perhaps it is not fair that Edward the Elder should be so forgotten as he is, given his mission, his lot in life, and his success. But that is the way of the world. Edward was too ruthlessly competent to be remembered outside of being Alfred’s son and Æthelflæd’s brother.