Edgar 959-975

Edgar was born in 943. He was married to Æthelflaed, who gave him his heir Edward, Wulfryth whose child was Eadgyth, and finally his third wife, Ælfthryth gave him Edmund and Æthelred.

Edgar had challenged his predecessor to the throne, and had taken over Mercia at the age of fourteen. He gained the English throne when he was sixteen.

He was the King who made the public recognition of English majesty, by a delayed coronation, fourteen years after his accession, and was paid homage by all the Scottish and Welsh kings, who were said to have rowed him on the Dee at Chester.

It is claimed that he stole his second wife from a nunnery, but before marrying her, he made her be a mistress for some years. Knowing that doing this would have put him in rather an unfavourable light in the the eyes of the Church, Edgar helped a monastic revival within England. He founded forty religious houses, and aided architecture at this time.

He was lucky to have the sagious advice of three saints who were alive in this era, and the fact that they were canonised in this time, gives great praise to the reign of Edgar. His reign eventually gave great power to the Church.