Ælfthryth (Elfrida) (wife of Edgar)

Ælfthryth, born around 945 and dying on 17 November 1000 or 1001, was Queen of the English through her marriage to King Edgar from 964 or 965 until his death in 975. She played a significant role during the minority of her son, King Æthelred the Unready, from 978 to 984, acting as a regent. Ælfthryth was the first known queen consort of an English king to be crowned and anointed. She bore Edgar two sons, Edmund and Æthelred. Her political influence was considerable, and she was implicated in the murder of her stepson, King Edward the Martyr, which paved the way for her son Æthelred’s ascension to the throne.

Ælfthryth was the daughter of Ealdorman Ordgar and was first married to Æthelwald, Ealdorman of East Anglia. Her second marriage to King Edgar strengthened political ties between powerful families in Wessex and Mercia. Her coronation in 973 elevated her status significantly. Ælfthryth was an advocate in legal matters, particularly for female litigants, and took a keen interest in monastic reform and the well-being of abbeys. After Edgar’s death, she supported her son Æthelred’s claim to the throne, which was successful following Edward’s assassination. Later in life, she was responsible for the care of Æthelred’s children by his first wife and reportedly retired to Wherwell Abbey.