Edgar the Peaceable: 959-975 AD | History of the monarchs of Britain

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Edgar the Peaceable: 959-975

In 957AD, Edgar became king of Mercia and the lands north of the Thames at the tender age of 14, while his brother Eadwig still held the rest of the kingdom. The division was peaceful, and the lands were once again reunited following the death of Eadwig in 959AD.

Edgar is referred to as "The Peaceable" partly due to the absence of military conflict during his rule, and partly due to the lack of crime and disorder throughout his lands - largely thanks to draconian punishments, such as the removal of the tongue for crimes such as petty theft.

One of Edgar's first acts as king was to recall the exiled St Dunstan, making him Bishop of Worcester, and later Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury. Together with the king, St Dunstan instigated a period of monastic reform and expansion. This was was not without controversy, since large areas of land were arbitrarily granted to the church, creating resentment amongst those from whom the land was taken.

In 973AD, Edgar elected to mark the height of his rule with a coronation ceremony in the ancient Roman city of Bath - presumably selected due to its imperial symbolism. The service was designed by Dunstan, echoing the consecration ceremonies of priest and emphasising the bond between church and monarch. This ceremony still forms the basis of modern British coronations.

Following this event, it is said that Edgar gathered his armies and marched north to Chester, where he was met by his navy. This show of strength formed the backdrop for the symbolic submission of the minor kings of the north to his authority, swearing their allegiance to the Edgar and the throne.

Edgar's reign may be said to represent the height of Anglo-Saxon England. The unity achieved by his ancestors was consolidated under Edgar's reign, finally cementing the minor domains into one inseparable kingdom. However, Edgar's death was the last uncontested succession to the Anglo-Saxon throne, and it is fair to say that the kingdom saw a period of decline following his death in 975AD, right up to the Norman conquest.

Edgar was buried at Glastonbury Abbey, and left two legitimate sons behind him. It is unlikely that these were his only children, as his sexual appetites were legendary. One story tells of how soon after ascending to the throne, Edgar fell for the beautiful daughter of a nobleman. He demanded she was sent to his chambers that one night, but her parents sent a maidservant in her place. After satisfying himself upon her, Edgar woke in the morning to discover the ruse as the young maid hurried from his bed. The king avenged the deception by confiscating his host's lands, and granting them to the maidservant.