This article is about the son of King Æthelred. For other persons of that name, see Æthelstan (disambiguation).
Æthelstan Ætheling (Old English: Æþelstan Æþeling; early or mid 980s –25 June 1014) was the eldest son of King Æthelred the Unready by his first wife Ælfgifu and the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death.[1] He made his first appearance as a witness to a charter of his father in 993. He probably spent part of his childhood at Æthelingadene, Dean in west Sussex, and his paternal grandmother Ælfthryth may have played an important part in his upbringing. Almost nothing is known of his life, although he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeforth and Morcar, two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands.[citation needed]
In 1013 King Æthelred was forced into temporary exile in Normandy, and while it is not known what became of Æthelstan and his surviving full brothers, Edmund Ironside and Eadwig, during the reign of King Sweyn, they probably remained somewhere in England. Æthelstan's last appearance is in a charter dated 1013.[2]
Æthelstan was a "warrior prince" and by his death he had accumulated a large collection of swords, prized war horses and combat equipment.[3] In his will, copies of which still survive, and which was made on the day of his death,[4] he left Edmund Ironside his most prized possession, a sword which had once belonged to Offa of Mercia, together with some of his estates and other pieces of his war gear. To his other full brother, Eadwig, he gave another piece from his large weapon collection, a silver-hilted sword. Much of his remaining land and wealth was divided between churches, friends and servants. He also made bequests to his sword-polisher and his stag huntsman.[5]
While he mentions his father, grandmother and foster-mother in his will, his own mother and her soul are completely omitted. He also makes no mention of his stepmother or half-brothers, suggesting a division within the royal family at the time.[6] He was buried at the Old Minster, Winchester, the first burial there of someone who was not king since Edward the Elder's brother, Æthelweard, in 922.[7]
Æthelstan, Ætheling, this, article, about, king, Æthelred, other, persons, that, name, Æthelstan, disambiguation, english, Æþelstan, Æþeling, early, 980s, june, 1014, eldest, king, Æthelred, unready, first, wife, Ælfgifu, heir, apparent, kingdom, until, death,. This article is about the son of King AEthelred For other persons of that name see AEthelstan disambiguation AEthelstan AEtheling Old English AEthelstan AEtheling early or mid 980s 25 June 1014 was the eldest son of King AEthelred the Unready by his first wife AElfgifu and the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death 1 He made his first appearance as a witness to a charter of his father in 993 He probably spent part of his childhood at AEthelingadene Dean in west Sussex and his paternal grandmother AElfthryth may have played an important part in his upbringing Almost nothing is known of his life although he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeforth and Morcar two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands citation needed AEthelstan AEthelingBornc 980sDied25 June 1014BurialOld Minster WinchesterHouseWessexFatherAEthelred the UnreadyMotherAElfgifu of YorkIn 1013 King AEthelred was forced into temporary exile in Normandy and while it is not known what became of AEthelstan and his surviving full brothers Edmund Ironside and Eadwig during the reign of King Sweyn they probably remained somewhere in England AEthelstan s last appearance is in a charter dated 1013 2 AEthelstan was a warrior prince and by his death he had accumulated a large collection of swords prized war horses and combat equipment 3 In his will copies of which still survive and which was made on the day of his death 4 he left Edmund Ironside his most prized possession a sword which had once belonged to Offa of Mercia together with some of his estates and other pieces of his war gear To his other full brother Eadwig he gave another piece from his large weapon collection a silver hilted sword Much of his remaining land and wealth was divided between churches friends and servants He also made bequests to his sword polisher and his stag huntsman 5 While he mentions his father grandmother and foster mother in his will his own mother and her soul are completely omitted He also makes no mention of his stepmother or half brothers suggesting a division within the royal family at the time 6 He was buried at the Old Minster Winchester the first burial there of someone who was not king since Edward the Elder s brother AEthelweard in 922 7 See also editFamily tree of English monarchs Houses of Wessex Knytlinga and GodwinsonReferences editFootnotes AEthelstan AEtheling Oxford Online DNB Frank Barlow thinks that 1012 is more probable as the year of death Barlow Edward the Confessor p 30 AEthelstan AEtheling Oxford Online DNB Barlow Edward the Confessor p 34 AEthelstan AEtheling Oxford Online DNB Whitelock Dorothy 1973 Anglo Saxon wills Internet Archive New York AMS Press ISBN 978 0 404 56689 0 Barlow Edward the Confessor pp 29 n 1 and 34 35 Stafford Queen Emma amp Queen Edith p 222 SourcesAnglo Saxon will S 1503 AD 1014 Barlow Frank Edward the Confessor Berkeley CA 1970 Simon Keynes AEthelstan AEtheling 2004 Oxford Online DNB Pauline Stafford Queen Emma amp Queen Edith Blackwell 2001External links editAEthelstan 62 at Prosopography of Anglo Saxon England Translation of the will of AEthelstan AEtheling Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AEthelstan AEtheling amp oldid 1153780474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
