Cristina (daughter of Edward the Exile) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cristina |
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| Born | Kingdom of Hungary |
| Died | c. 1100 unknown |
| House | Wessex |
| Father | Edward the Exile |
| Mother | Agatha |
Cristina was a princess from the House of Wessex, an important royal family in England. She was the daughter of Edward the Exile and Agatha, and the sister of Edgar Ætheling and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Cristina was born in the 1040s, likely in Kingdom of Hungary. She played a role in the education of her nieces, Edith and Mary, who were sent to Romsey Abbey in 1086, where Cristina was the abbess.
Contents
Life Story of Princess Cristina
Early Life and Journeys
Cristina came to Kingdom of England with her family in 1057. They had been living in Hungary. Later, she and her siblings had to leave England. They went to live in the Kingdom of Scotland at the court of King Malcolm III. He would later become her brother-in-law when he married her sister, Margaret.
Life as a Nun
At some point before 1086, Cristina returned to England. She decided to become a nun at Romsey Abbey. This was a religious community for women. While there, she helped teach her nieces, Edith and Mary. These young princesses were sent to the abbey for their education and safety.
A Royal Marriage Question
One of Cristina's nieces, Edith, later became very important. She was going to marry Henry I of England, who was the King. Before the marriage could happen, a group of bishops, led by Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury, had to decide if Edith could legally marry the King. This was because Edith had spent time in a nunnery.
Edith explained to the bishops that she had been sent to the abbey for safety and education, not because she wanted to become a nun. She said that she had sometimes removed her nun's veil and that Cristina had tried to make her follow the rules strictly. The bishops eventually agreed that Edith was free to marry, and she became Queen of England.
Cristina's Later Years
Records from the Domesday Book show that Cristina owned land in places like Ulverley in Warwickshire and also in Gloucestershire. The exact date of Cristina's death is not known. However, it seems she passed away before 1100. This is suggested because she did not give evidence at the meeting about Edith's marriage, which happened around that time. Also, her nieces were moved to Wilton Abbey for their education before 1093, and a new abbess was appointed at Romsey Abbey.
