| Sources |
- [source01207] http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=jdp-fam&id=I86875&style=TABLE.
- [source4071149756] Edgar the Atheling (c. 1051 - c. 1126) - English Monarchs, (Publication Date: 25 JUN 2020
Media: Website / URL).
Edgar Atheling, the last surviving male member of the ancient Royal House of Wessex, was born in Hungary circa 1051. Edgar's father, 'Edward the Exile' was the eldest son of Edmund II known as 'Ironside', and grandson of Ethelred II 'the Redeless'. Edmund reigned briefly as King of England from April to November of 1016. After his father's death, and the accession to the English throne of the Danish King Canute, the young Edward and his brother Edmund were consigned to the safe-keeping of Canute's half-brother and ally, Olof King of Sweden. They were secretly sent to Kiev, where Olof's daughter Ingigerd was the Queen. They were then sent on to Hungary, probably in the retinue of Ingigerd's son-in-law, King András. The two children were placed under the care of the King of Hungary.
The younger son, Edmund, died without issue. The elder brother, Edward, referred to as 'the Atheling' (Anglo-Saxon, meaning Prince or of noble birth), married Agatha, who according to some sources, was possibly a niece of Henry III, Emperor of Germany, the couple had three children. Besides Edgar the marriage produced two daughters, Margaret and Christina. Christina was later to become a nun and Abbess of Romsey, while her sister Margaret became Queen Consort of Scotland.
Edgar returned to England with his parents and siblings towards the end of the reign of his great-uncle, Edward the Confessor, who re-callled the family with a view to naming Edward Atheling as his heir. Fate however, intervened, and Edward Atheling died within months of his return to his native land. The Confessor took his nephew's grieving widow and children into his care and protection.
When King Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, Edgar was still in his early teens, too young to be a military leader, the Witangemot, or Saxon council of elders, elected Harold Godwineson, an experienced soldier and Edward's brother-in-law, as King. After the Norman Conquest and the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, the Witanagemot assembled hastily in London proceeded to elect Edgar, last of the Wessex line, as King of England. Edgar, then aged about 13 or 14, submitted to the formidable William the Conqueror.
William I resolved to keep Edgar in his custody and took him to Normandy, along with Earls Edwine and Morcar, in 1067, leaving England in the control of regents. On his return to England, Edgar may have been involved in the abortive rebellion of the Earls Edwine and Morcar in 1068, in that year he fled north with his mother and sisters to seek refuge at the court of Malcolm III 'Canmore' King of Scots. Malcolm married Edgar's eldest sister Margaret and agreed to support him in his attempt to regain the throne of England. The Northumbrians rose against William's harsh rule at the beginning of 1069 and Edgar to return to England to become the leader of the revolt. After some initial success the rebels were defeated by William at York and Edgar was again forced to flee to Scotland.
In the late summer of 1069, King Sweyn of Denmark, the late King Harold's cousin, sent a fleet of ships to England, which triggered a fresh wave of uprisings. Edgar sailed to the Humber, where he joined forces with the Northumbrian rebels, but after leading a small unsuccessful seaborne raid into Lindsey he fled with a few supporters, to rejoin the main army. Later in the year William occupied York, buying off the Danes and laying waste the surrounding countryside. Early in 1070 he moved against Edgar and other English leaders who had taken refuge with their remaining followers in a marshy region, possibly Holderness and forced them into flight.
Edgar returned again to the safety of Scotland where he remained until 1072, when William invaded Scotland and forced Malcolm to submit to his overlordship. The terms of the Treaty of Abernethy between the two monarchs probably included the expulsion of Malcolm's brother-in-law, Edgar, from Scotland. After seeking refuge in Flanders for a while he returned to Scotland. Edgar received an offer from William's enemy, Philip I, King of France, of a castle and lands near the Norman border from which he would be able to raid Normandy. He sailed for France, but the luckless Edgar was shipwrecked on the coast of England by a violent storm. He managed to escape to Scotland yet again, where he was persuaded by Malcolm to make peace with William and return to England as his subject. In 1081, Edgar accompanied King William on an expedition through South Wales.
After the death of William the Conqueror in 1087, he was succeeded by his second son, William Rufus, although Edgar attended Rufus' coronation, he supported William's eldest son Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy in his dispute with his brother William. William II defeated Robert in 1091 and in a settlement agreed between the brothers, Edgar was deprived of lands in Normandy. Edgar returned once again to his brother-in-law in Scotland, who was preparing for war with William. William marched north to meet the King of Scots and negotiations were conducted by Edgar on behalf of Malcolm and the newly reconciled Robert Curthose on behalf of William.
Edgar went to Scotland again in 1093, this time on a diplomatic mission for William II to negotiate with Malcolm III, who was dissatisfied with William's failure to implement in full the terms of the 1091 treaty. This unresolved dispute led to war, Malcolm invaded Northumbria and was killed in the resulting Battle of Alnwick along with Edward, eldest of his sons by Margaret.
Malcolm's brother Donald Bane usurped the Scottish throne and drove out the English and French retainers introduced by Malcolm. This led Donald Bane into conflict with William, whose influence in Scotland was now diminished. William aided Malcolm's eldest son (by his first marriage) Duncan, who had spent years as a hostage at the English court, to overthrow his uncle, but Donald Bane regained the throne and Duncan was killed. In 1097 Edgar was given command of an English army by William, which marched into Scotland and ousted Donald Bane. Edgar installed his nephew, Malcolm and Margaret's eldest surviving son Edgar, on the throne of Scotland.
Robert Curthose mortgaged his Norman estates to William in return for money to participate in the first crusade to Jerusalem, Edgar expressed a desire to accompany him. Their forces crossed the bleak Anatolian highlands to reach the outskirts of Antioch (north of Syria) by October 1097. They remained there until the town was betrayed into the hands of the Crusaders in June 1098.
Due to disagreements among their leaders, it was another year before the Crusaders reached Jerusalem, which was taken by storm on 15th July 1099, amid great slaughter. Duke Robert and Edgar Atheling distinguished themselves during this campaign, and when a new Christian kingdom was established, Robert's chaplain, Amulf, became its Patriach. On his return journey from Jerusalem Edgar was given rich gifts by both the Byzantine and German emperors, each of whom offered him an honoured place at court to the last scion of the Saxon royal house, but that he insisted on returning to England instead.
Edgar again took the side of Robert Curthose, this time against Robert's youngest brother who had succeeded William as King Henry I. Edgar was taken prisoner after the Battle of Tinchebray in 1106, which resulted in Robert being imprisoned by his brother for the remainder of his life. Edgar was taken back to England and pardoned by Henry. His niece Edith of Scotland, (who adopted the name Matilda) the eldest daughter of Malcolm III and Margaret, had married Henry in 1100.
Edgar Atheling retired from court circles, and lived quietly on the Hampshire/Sussex border, he died shortly after 1125. There is no evidence that Edgar married or produced children apart from two mysterious references to an 'Edgar Adeling' found in the Magnus Rotulus Pipae Northumberland (Pipe rolls) for the years 1158 and 1167.
http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon_26.html
- [source4071149757] Edgar Ætheling - Royal Family Wiki, (Publication Date: 14 FEB 2022
Media: Website / URL).
Edgar Ætheling (King Edgar II of England)
Born circa 1051
Kiev or Hungary
Died circa 1126
Place unknown
Buried Place unknown
Predecessor Harold Godwinson - Harold II of England
Successor William the Conqueror - William I of England)
Father Edward the Exile
Mother Agatha
Edgar Ætheling[1], also known as Edgar the Outlaw, (c. 1051 – c. 1126) was the last male member of the West Saxon royal house of Cerdic. He was proclaimed, but never crowned, King of England.
Born in Hungary, Edgar was the only son of Edward the Exile, heir to the English throne, and was a grandson of King Edmund II ("Edmund Ironside"). Upon his father's death in 1057, Edgar was nominated as heir apparent by his great-uncle King Edward the Confessor. However, he was too young at the time of the King's death in January 1066 to defend the country against the impending Norman invasion led by William of Normandy, so a Witenagemot instead elected Harold Godwinson, King Edward's brother-in-law, as King Harold II. Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings on Saturday, 14 October 1066, Edgar was proclaimed King Edgar II by a Witenagemot in London. He was never crowned and submitted to William I some six to eight weeks later, at the age of about fourteen or fifteen.
Early life
Edgar was the only son of Edward the Exile, heir to the English throne, and grandson of King Edmund II known as Edmund Ironside. Upon his father's death in 1057, Edgar was nominated as heir apparent by his great-uncle King (and Saint) Edward the Confessor. Edgar was brought up at Edward's Court, together with his sisters, Margaret (now known as Saint Margaret of Scotland) and Cristina. However he was too young at the time of the King's death in January 1066 to defend the country against impending invasion so the Witenagemot had elected King Edward's brother-in-law Harold Godwinson to be King Harold II instead. Edgar's election as King after Harold's death was no more than a symbolic token of defiance by the Saxon nobles of the Witenagemot against the invading Norman forces.
Submits to William the Conqueror
Edgar relied largely for his support upon Archbishop Stigand of Canterbury and upon Edwin, Earl of Mercia and Morcar, Earl of Northumbria and, when this weakened within a matter of days of the Witenagemot election, Edgar was forced inevitably to submit to William the Conqueror at Berkhamsted in either late November or early December 1066.
William treated Edgar well. Seeing political advantage, he kept him in his custody and eventually took him back to his Court in Normandy. However, Edgar joined in the rebellion of the Earls Edwin and Morcar in 1068 and when defeated he fled to the court of King Malcolm III of Scotland. The next year Malcolm married Edgar's sister Margaret, and agreed to support Edgar in his attempt to reclaim the English Crown. Edgar now made common cause with Sweyn Estridson, the King of Denmark and nephew of Canute, who believed he was the rightful King of England.
Their combined forces invaded England in 1069, capturing York. William marched on the north, devastating the land as he went. He paid the treacherous Danes to leave, whilst Edgar fled back to Scotland. He remained in exile there until 1072 when William successfully enforced a peace treaty on King Malcolm, the terms of which included the exile of Edgar. Edgar eventually made his peace with William in 1074 but he never fully gave up his dreams of regaining the Throne of England. After King William's death in 1087 he supported the eldest son Robert III, Duke of Normandy (Robert Curthose) against the second son King William II of England (William Rufus) in 1091 and again found himself seeking refuge in Scotland. He also supported his nephew, Edgar, in gaining the Scottish Throne, overthrowing his paternal uncle King Donald III of Scotland.
Departs for the East
Around 1098 he went to Constantinople, where he may have joined the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine Emperor. Later that year he was given a fleet by Emperor Alexius I to assist in the First Crusade, and brought reinforcements to the Crusaders at the Siege of Antioch. Back in Europe he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Tinchebrai in 1106 fighting for Duke Robert against the youngest of William the Conqueror's sons who was now King Henry I of England. He was taken back to England where King Henry pardoned him, and he retired to his country estate in Hertfordshire. His niece Edith (renamed Matilda) had married Henry I in 1100. Edgar is believed to have travelled to the Kingdom of Scotland late in life, perhaps around the year 1120, and was still alive in 1125, but may have died soon after, in his early seventies. By then he was forgotten by most and is remembered now only as the "lost King" of England.
Notes
The Anglo-Saxon term Aetheling or, as it was spelled during the Anglo-Saxon period, Æþeling, denotes a man of noble blood and was used more specifically in the later Anglo-Saxon period to designate him as the legitimate heir to the throne as the only remaining male descendant of King Aethelred II.
https://royalfamily.fandom.com/wiki/Edgar_%C3%86theling
- [source4071149758] Edgar in Siege of Antioch From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, (Publication Date: 14 FEB 2022
Media: Website / URL).
The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098, on the crusaders' way to Jerusalem through Syria. Two sieges took place in succession. The first siege, by the crusaders against the city held by the Seljuk Empire, lasted from 20 October 1097[10] to 3 June 1098. The second siege, of the crusader-held city by a Seljuk relieving army, lasted three weeks in June 1098, leading to the Battle of Antioch in which the crusaders defeated the relieving army led by Kerbogha. The crusaders then established the Principality of Antioch, ruled by Bohemond of Taranto...
...According to Orderic Vitalis an English fleet led by Edgar Ætheling, the exiled Saxon claimant to the throne of England, arrived at St Symeon on 4 March [1098] carrying supplies from the Byzantines. Historian Steven Runciman repeated the assertion, however it is unknown where the fleet originated and would not have been under Edgar's command. Regardless, the fleet brought raw materials for constructing siege engines, but these were almost lost on the journey from the port to Antioch when part of the garrison sallied out. Bohemond and Raymond escorted the material, and after losing some of the materials and 100 people, they fell back to the crusader camp outside Antioch.[41] Before Bohemond and Raymond, rumours that they had been killed reached Godfrey who readied his men to rescue the survivors of the escort. However, his attention was diverted when another force sallied from the city to provide cover for the men returning from the ambush. Godfrey was able to hold off the attack until Bohemond and Raymond came to his aid.[42] The reorganised army then caught up with the garrison before it had reached the safety of Antioch's walls. The counter-attack was a success for the crusaders and resulted in the deaths of between 1,200 and 1,500 of Antioch's defenders.[41] The crusaders set to work building siege engines, as well as a fort, called La Mahomerie, to block the Bridge Gate and prevent Yaghi-Siyan attacking the crusader supply line from the ports of Saint Simon and Alexandretta, whilst also repairing the abandoned monastery to the west of the Gate of Saint George, which was still being used to deliver food to the city. Tancred garrisoned the monastery, referred to in the chronicles as Tancred's Fort, for 400 silver marks, whilst Count Raymond of Toulouse took control of La Mahomerie. Finally the crusader siege was able to have some effect on the well-defended city. Food conditions improved for the crusaders as spring approached and the city was sealed off from raiders.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Antioch#Spring
- [source4071149755] 93M8-HTX
FamilySearch.org, (Publication Date: 25 JAN 2024
Media: Website / URL).
Edgar Ætheling was the only son of Edward the Exile and his wife Agatha. Nominally, the uncrowned King of England for a few hours on Oct. 14, 1066, he was later to serve as Earl of Oxford for about two years.
Edgar was born about 1051 at Réka Castle in Hungary, the youngest child of Edward the Exile and his wife Agatha. He was also the grandson of King Edmund Ironside, and the younger brother of Saint Margaret of Scotland, and brother-in-law of Malcolm III, "Canmore," King of Scots. Edgar also had an older sister Cristina, Abbess of Romsey.
Edgar's father Edward had been exiled from England as a small child but the whole family returned to England in 1057, their presence requested by King Edward the Confessor. Edward the Exile was to be Edward the Confessors Heir Apparent but died almost immediately after returning to England. Edgar was about 6 years old when his father died, he, his mother and sisters lived at the court of King Edward and Edgar was educated there. When King Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, Edgar was deemed to young to be King, especially in the face of pending invasion from Normandy. Harold Godwinson was chosen by the Witan to be King and led England's forces in Battle against the invading army of William the Conqueror. Godwinson died at the Battle of Hastings on October 14 1066 and the Witan voted to make young Edgar king, before he could even be crowned, however, they decided Edgar should submit to William the Conqueror.
The newly crowned King William I held Edgar in custody at his court in Normandy, finally returning him to England sometime in 1068. Edgar and his family left England only to be shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm III of Scotland came to their aid and married Edgar's older sister Margaret. King Malcolm also supported Edgar's repeated attempts to reclaim the throne of England.
William the Conqueror invaded Scotland in 1072, forced King Malcolm to submit to his overlordship and also expelled Edgar, who fled to Flanders. Eventually Edgar made peace with King William, gave up his claim to the throne and was allowed to live in England again. Edgar even came to support William's oldest son Robert Curthose, who succeeded him as Duke of Normandy, against his second son, William Rufus, who received the throne of England as William II.
It is not believed that Edgar ever married or had children. He 'grew old in the country' and died about 1125. The location of his grave is not known.
----------------
EDGAR ætheling ([1053/55]-after 1126). The Chronicle of John of Worcester records that, after King Harold II's defeat at Hastings 14 Oct 1066, Ealdred Archbishop of York, Earls Edwin and Morcar, and the citizens of London supported Edgar as successor to King Harold II[1947]. However, his support quickly collapsed and he swore allegiance to King William "the Conqueror" at Berkhamsted, before the latter made his way to London. Orderic Vitalis records that, after King Harold was killed, “Stigandus Cantuarensis archiepiscopus et præclari comites Eduinus et Morcarus aliique primates Anglorum” who were not present at “Senlacio bello” established “Edgarum Clitonem filium Eduardi regis Hunorum, filii Edmundi Irneside” as king, but renouncing Edgar (“Edgarum abrogantes”) they and Edgar made peace with Guillaume II Duke of Normandy[1948]. Florence of Worcester records that "clitonem Edgarum" went with King William to Normandy 21 Feb [1067][1949]. Orderic Vitalis records that “Stigandum archipræsulem, Edgarum Adelinum Eduardi regis consobrinum et tres...comites: Eduinum, Morcarum et Guallevum, Egelnodum quoque Cantuariensem satrapam” accompanied King William to Normandy, dated to 1067 from the context[1950]. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Edgar left England with his mother and sisters in Summer 1067 and found refuge at the court of Malcolm King of Scotland[1951]. Florence of Worcester records that "clitone Eadgaro et matre sua Agatha duabusque sororibus suis Margareta et Christina" left England for Scotland, in a passage which deals with events in mid-1068[1952]. Orderic Vitalis records that “Rodbertus Ricardi filius Eboracensis præsidii custos” was killed, that “Marius Suenus, Gaius Patricius, Edgarus Adelinus, Archillus et quatuor filii Karoli” attacked “munitionem regis in Eboraco”, and that “Willelmus cognomento Maletus, præses castrensis regi” announced to the king that he would be forced to withdraw unless reinforcements were sent, dated to 1069[1953]. Orderic Vitalis records that “Suenus rex Danorum” sent a fleet led by “duos...filios suos et Osbernum fratrem suum” to attack England, that they were repulsed at Dover, Sandwich and Ipswich, and at Norwich by “Radulfus de Guader”, that they were joined by “Adelinus, Guallevus, Siguardus” but defeated on the Humber, entered York headed by “Guallevus...Gaius Patricius, Marius Suenus, Elnocinus, Archillus et quatuor filii Karoli” but were eventually expelled, dated to 1069[1954]. He left for Flanders in exile, but returned to Scotland 8 Jul 1074. Florence of Worcester records that "clito Eadgarus" left Scotland for England in [1073], and went to Normandy where he made peace with King William[1955]. Domesday Book records “Edgar Ætheling” holding land in Barkway and Great Hormead in Edwinstree Hundred in Hertfordshire[1956]. Florence of Worcester records that "clito Eadgarus" went to Apulia with 200 knights in [1086][1957]. Florence of Worcester records that Edgar lived in Scotland after being expelled from Normandy by King William I. He returned to Normandy after King William died: Orderic Vitalis records “Edgarus Adelinus et Robertus Belesmensis atque Guillelmus de Archis monachus Molismensis” as the advisers of Robert [III] Duke of Normandy, dated to [1089][1958]. Florence of Worcester records that he was invited back to England by Robert Comte de Mortain in 1091 in order to negotiate peace between Malcolm King of Scotland and King William II after King Malcolm invaded Northumberland[1959]. "…Edgari aederling…" subscribed the charter dated 30 Aug 1095 under which "Edgarus filius Malcolmi Regis Scottorum" made grants for the souls of "fratrum meorum Doncani et Edwardi"[1960]. Florence of Worcester records that "clitorem Eadgarum" led an army to Scotland in [1097] to place "consobrinum suum Eadgarum Malcolmi regis filium" on the Scottish throne after expelling "patruo suo Dufenaldo"[1961]. Forces under his command captured Latakia in Mar 1098 before handing it to Robert III Duke of Normandy, according to Orderic Vitalis who calls Edgar "indolent"[1962]. He supported Robert Duke of Normandy in his fight with his brother Henry I King of England in 1106, and was taken prisoner by the king at the battle of Tinchebrai but released soon after. The primary source which records that he was still alive in 1126 has not yet been identified. [Mistress (1): ---. No record has been found that Edgar ætheling ever married. However, the 1157 Pipe Roll entry quoted below suggests that he may have had descendants. If this is correct, it is probable that it was an illegitimate line as there is no record of their having claimed the throne. [Edgar had one [illegitimate] child by Mistress (1)]:
i) [---. This descent is completely speculative. However, the most obvious explanation for the 1157 Pipe Roll entry quoted below is that Edgar ætheling left descendants, presumably through an illegitimate child as there is no record of their having claimed the throne. m ---.] One child:
(a) [EDGAR "Ætheling" (-after 1166). The 1157 Pipe Roll records "Edgar Ætheling" in Northumberland[1963]. The 1166/67 Pipe Roll records "Edgar Atheling" accounting for land in Northumberland[1964]. If his descent from Edgar ætheling is correct, it would be consistent from a chronological point of view if Edgar was the senior Edgar’s grandson.]
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/93M8-HTX
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Abt 1051 - Aft 1126 (~ 76 years)
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