Ælfthryth (wife of Edgar)
Queen of England from 964/965 to 975 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ælfthryth (c. 945 – 1000 or 1001, also Alfrida, Elfrida or Elfthryth) was Queen of the English from her marriage to King Edgar in 964 or 965 until Edgar's death in 975. She was a leading figure in the regency during the minority of her son King Æthelred the Unready between 978 and 984.
Ælfthryth | |
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Queen consort of the English | |
Tenure | 964/965 – 8 July 975 |
Coronation | 11 May 973 |
Born | c. 945 |
Died | 17 November 1000 or 1001 |
Spouse | |
Issue |
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Father | Ordgar, Ealdorman of Devon |
Ælfthryth was the first wife of an English king known to have been crowned and anointed as queen. She had two sons with Edgar, the ætheling Edmund (who died young) and King Æthelred the Unready. Ælfthryth was a powerful political figure and possibly orchestrated the murder of her stepson, King Edward the Martyr, in order to place her son Æthelred on the throne. She appeared as a stereotypical bad queen and evil stepmother in many medieval histories.