Ealhswith
Encyclopedia
Ealhswith or Ealswitha (born c. 852 in Mercia
– died 905) was the daughter of a Mercian nobleman, Æthelred Mucil, Ealdorman
of the Gaini
. She was married in 868 to Alfred the Great
, before he became king
of Wessex
. In accordance with ninth century West Saxon custom, she was not given the title of queen.
through her mother.
After Alfred's death in 899, Ealhswith became a nun
. She died on 5 December 905, and is buried in St. Mary's Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire
.
Elswitha Hall in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
, built in the 18th Century, is named after her.
ren of Alfred and Ealhswith included:
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
– died 905) was the daughter of a Mercian nobleman, Æthelred Mucil, Ealdorman
Ealdorman
An ealdorman is the term used for a high-ranking royal official and prior magistrate of an Anglo-Saxon shire or group of shires from about the ninth century to the time of King Cnut...
of the Gaini
Gaini
The Gaini were an early Anglo-Saxon tribe. Their location cannot now be identified, but they are thought to have been one of the tribes which made up the kingdom of Mercia....
. She was married in 868 to Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, before he became king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
. In accordance with ninth century West Saxon custom, she was not given the title of queen.
Life
Ealswith was the daughter of Æthelred and his wife Eadburh. She was related to the royal house of MerciaMercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
through her mother.
After Alfred's death in 899, Ealhswith became a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. She died on 5 December 905, and is buried in St. Mary's Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Elswitha Hall in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
, built in the 18th Century, is named after her.
Children
The childChild
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren of Alfred and Ealhswith included:
- Æthelflæd (ca 869–912), Lady of the Mercians. Married Æthelred, Ealdorman of western Mercia in 889
- Eadmund, Asser mentions Eadmund as a son of Alfred
- Edward the ElderEdward the ElderEdward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
(ca 872–924), King of Wessex - Elfreda, The book of Hydes mentions Elfreda as a daughter. She is not mentioned by Asser
- Æthelgifu (?–896) Nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, elected Abbess in 888
- Ælfthryth (877–929) Married Baldwin II, Count of Flanders
- Æthelweard (Ethelward the Atheling) (880–920)