Ecgwynn

Ecgwynn, also known as Ecgwynna, was the first consort of Edward the Elder, who later became the King of the English, reigning from 899 to 924. Her union with Edward the Elder produced Æthelstan, who reigned as King of England from 924 to 939, and a daughter who married Sihtric Cáech, the Norse king of Dublin and Northumbria. There is a scarcity of information regarding Ecgwynn’s background and life, with her name not being documented in any sources until after the Norman Conquest. The primary source of information about her existence is William of Malmesbury, who recorded her name in a Latinized form as Egwinna.

Ecgwynn’s marriage to Edward likely occurred around 893, given that Æthelstan was about thirty years old when he ascended to the throne in 924. Her life after her marriage to Edward is not well-documented, and it is unclear what became of her following the birth of her children. There are indications that her son Æthelstan was raised at the Mercian court of his aunt Æthelflæd, as per King Alfred’s wishes. By 901, Edward had remarried to Ælfflæd, suggesting that Ecgwynn may have passed away by then or that her marriage to Edward lacked the political significance necessary for his kingship.