Æthelflæd Eneda

Æthelflæd Eneda, known as ‘the White Duck,’ was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, the first wife of King Edgar the Peaceable, and the mother of King Edward the Martyr. Her marriage to Edgar is documented by Eadmer’s Life of St Dunstan and confirmed by the twelfth-century chronicle of John of Worcester. Æthelflæd was the daughter of Ordmær, identified as an ealdorman of the East Angles. Her noble birth is highlighted in the genealogical trees preceding John of Worcester’s chronicle, which refer to her as ‘femina generosissima’ or ‘a woman most nobly born’.

Æthelflæd’s marriage to Edgar is noted for its legitimacy, which was later questioned by Edgar’s subsequent wife, Ælfthryth, to strengthen the claim of her own sons to the throne. This dispute contributed to the factional conflict that resulted in Edward’s murder. Despite the controversy, modern historians generally recognize Æthelflæd as Edgar’s lawful wife. She was also a benefactor, having donated land to the New Minster, Winchester.